


By The Blood

by Emilyzzz



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Girls with Guns, Mafia AU, Modern Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Sexual Tension, Smut, Still suck at tagging lmao, Violence, Weapons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:47:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27589763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilyzzz/pseuds/Emilyzzz
Summary: A young lady who once lost everything she had, now has everything she dreamed of. The looks, the money, the men, a family... But when she unknowingly meets the man who once took everything away from her and falls for him little by little, what do you expect ? Mix that with the daily drama and hustle in a mafia and what do you get? BOOM. Problems.
Relationships: Erwin Smith & Reader, Erwin Smith/Reader, Levi & Reader, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader, Mike Zacharias/Reader, Reiner Braun/Reader
Comments: 14
Kudos: 41





	1. The girl that had everything

**Author's Note:**

> Good day, my dear fellows!
> 
> I am so glad to be back with a new story for you ! Mafia!AU, you know the deal.
> 
> Thank you again for all the love you gave to "Prepare for Trouble" and stay tuned because it might have a sequel...
> 
> Anyway, back to business, i wish you a lovely reading and smash that comment button to give me your feedback!
> 
> Until next time, lovelies. xoxo

Such a sweet dream you were doing before that _damn_ alarm had to go off. You gently patted the stranger’s arm laying on your belly and sat quietly on your bed. Eyes hazy, muscles sore, the usual. You stretched and looked around, your room was a mess. Even a mess was an understatement. You made a mental note you’d have to clean that up today. Finally getting up, you tiptoed between some empty bottles, clothes that were obviously not yours, picking up your cigarettes on the way to the bathroom. Desperately searching for anything that could ease the pain your head was giving you, you heard the familiar buzzing of your phone ringing. "Eren, what’s up? You know it’s way too early right?" you managed to say, a toothbrush in your mouth. "Hey boss, sorry. Checking if you were still alive after the night you’ve had." You heard the young boy chuckle. "Just have to make it look like I’m not dead inside and I’m good. What’s the matter?" You knew why he was calling about so early in the morning, when you asked him not to. "I had to make sure you wouldn’t be late for the meeting, you drank quite a lot last night…" You smiled. "It’s called celebrating, Eren. Besides, didn’t I tell you not to call me so freaking early in the morning?" You put your phone aside, trying your best not to make too much noise. "I heard Erwin’s back, by the way." The boy ignored your threat, obviously used to your ranting. "Is he? Have to make myself extra pretty then." Your face lighted up at the news. Eren mocked your answer because he knew that was halfway true. You quietly made your way to the kitchen, a cup of coffee more than needed. "Fuck, Eren." You blurted. "No coffee anymore?" You could almost hear him grin on the other side. "Not a thing to joke with. I’ll be here in 10." You didn’t let him answer before you hung up and entered your bedroom, not-so quietly. Your foot stumbled on an empty glass of god-knows what alcohol, breaking the silence and making the man grunt at the sudden noise. "Hey um… You. Great night, thank you, but I have to go and you do too." You mumbled, picking some clothes at the same time. "Just help yourself in the kitchen, but there’s no coffee anymore." You had put all the things that you had been able to retrieve in the semi-darkness of your apartment in a bag. Just before you left, you had a little detour to your room. "Hey, just slam the door as you leave ok?" You hushed to the half asleep man sitting in your bed, humming in response.

Leaving the warmth of your flat, you walked outside the huge building, straight to your squad’s quarters. A 5-minute walk, not much, but damn was it cold that day. You arrived in front of a smaller building, and you noticed that the lights were on on almost every floor. Several people were in front of the entrance, and they greeted you with respect when they saw you. You acknowledged them with a nod of your head before you walked inside. "Are you lost, sweetie? I can say this isn’t where you live." A snarky voice you could recognise within a hundred. "Reiner, as if this morning wasn’t that bad already." You sighed. The man was standing by the elevator, all dressed up, a smirk plastered on his face. "It’s always a pleasure to see you, you should know that, Y/N." He pressed the button before you could, and here started the longest wait you’ve ever known. "Low on your drug? Have some." He raised his cup to you. "I’d rather die, but thanks." You finally heard the soft bell-like sound of the elevator and without another word, you disappeared. You rolled your eyes in annoyance when the door closed. He really had his own way to get on your nerves, every _fucking_ time. The doors reopened on the top floor and you walked in quickly, not even bothering to knock on the door. "Hello, Cap. You look… ready to explode. Everything okay?" Armin handed you a cup of coffee, brewed just now. Your squad was used to you popping out of nowhere in their apartment, so they had coffee all the time, even if no one actually drank it. Sometimes you felt guilty about having to wake them up sometimes in the middle of the night, when you forgot your keys or didn’t want to face another walk of shame to your apartment at dawn. You were thankful to have a good relationship with them, even though they were supposed to be your subordinates, you treated them as equals and you knew that this was not the case in all squads. You smiled at the blond boy, gladly accepting the precious brown liquid, as he pulled a chair in the dining room for you and sat down, he seemed almost worried about your state of mind. You took a sip of your coffee and as if by magic, your shoulders relaxed. "I’m good, Armin. Your coffee is truly life-saving." The boy rewarded you with a wide smile, before resuming to read his newspaper. "Anything interesting ?" You leaned a bit further in your chair, enjoying this family-like gathering. "Boss! I didn’t expect you here this morning." Eren laughed, just out of the shower. "Very funny, Eren. Would you dress up now? Mikasa could kill me for even looking at you." You eyed the half-naked man, gesturing him away. _Those kids, I swear._ They always had a way to make you feel like their mom, even if most of the time it was the other way round. The door suddenly slammed and you did not flinch, compared to Armin who almost jumped in your arms out of fear. You chuckled at his reaction. « Reiner?" You asked to the sweaty woman who seemed truly pissed off. Mikasa nodded and left to her room without a word. "This man, I swear. One day I’m going to beat his ass so bad he won’t be able to walk for ages." You shook your head. You got up to join Mikasa in her room, knocking on the door this time. "Mind if I get ready in your room?" She let you in, freshly out of the shower and you wondered how she could be that fast. You both got ready in silence, for she obviously was not in the mood for a girly chit-chat. You didn’t bother, enjoying her company anyway. The world you lived in was mostly masculine, so having a girl to talk to or to hang out with felt relieving. You were almost ready, just put on some red lipstick and you could start your day. Mikasa wasn’t a person who put on a lot of makeup, if at all, preferring a more natural look. You both often laughed about it, and as a joke, you would hand her your red lipstick, without even looking at her. She patted your hand gently and, finally relaxed, she smiled at you. Glad to have been able to lift her mood, you left the room behind her and walked towards the living room.

"Boss, you are a sight for sore eyes." Eren said in between two sips of his drink. He winked at you, which earned him a slap in the back of the head from Mikasa. He groaned in annoyance, massaging the spot she hit. "You’d have compliments too if you weren’t hitting me all day long!" The brown-haired boy whined. "Enough flirting, Eren." You chuckled. "Let’s get down to business, Armin, Eren, you take the morning shift, call me if you got anything interesting, right? Mikasa, you’re on this afternoon and I’ll be there right after the meeting. Clear enough?" You took a last sip of your coffee, waiting for your squad to agree. "Sir, yes Sir!" Mikasa shook her head in annoyance and you eyed Eren dangerously, rolling your eyes. The boy could be a pain in the ass, but damn was he efficient when needed to. "Wait, Cap! Mind if I walk with you?" Mikasa asked in a rush. You nodded and she hurried to put her shoes on. You waved at them and disappear behind the door. You bumped into some more soldiers at the entrance of the building, most of them in sportswear. "What’s the meeting about?" The raven-haired lady inquired. "No fucking clue." You both laughed and she handed you some snacks she packed, which you happily accepted. "All the capos are going to be there, that’s all I know."She nodded silently. "Erwin, too?" She eyed you playfully, and you knew exactly what she meant. "I heard he’s back." You tried to stay impassive, even if you knew she knew better. "Mmh. I know someone’s going to get laid tonight." She said, almost emotionless and you bursted in laughter. "Mikasa! For God’s sake can you be more subtle?" You shook your head and smiled widely. She winked at you and gestured at some people further in front of you. "There is your Prince Charming, Boss. » She winked once again, batting her lashes playfully. "I’m my own Prince Charming!" You shouted and pushed her gently on the side. "Who’s that child next to him?" You narrowed your eyes to examine the man next to Erwin. Not so tall, though Erwin was build like a damn tree and everyone seemed ridiculously small next to him, Jet-black hair, bored face, empty look. He looked… dangerous. And… _hot._ "I have no idea, never seen the guy. But he sure is a sight." Mikasa rolled her eyes. "You’re saying a child is hot? Damn Boss, didn’t take you for that type." She furrowed her eyebrows and grinned. "He’s clearly not a child, Mikasa, he’s just not so tall compared to Erwin. Besides, you only have eyes for Eren, which I would never understand, but yeah. » You joked back. She gave you a look and you knew better than to keep jocking about her semblance of relationship with the guy. She would cross oceans for him, when it seemed he wouldn’t even jump a puddle for her. Well, that was their story and you didn’t want to risk the well-being of your squad by sticking your nose where it didn’t belong. She waved you goodbye, you obviously vexed her a little but you knew she would get over it in no time, as she was not the type to hold grudges.

As you walked closer to the two men, you noticed how _clean_ the man next to your lover seemed to be. No stains, no dirt, no wrinkles on any of his clothes, no imperfections. Erwin’s attention switched from one of the soldiers to you. A warm smile formed on his lips and he waved at you. " _Monsieur_ Smith, I’m glad you are well and alive." Your arms found their way around his neck and you hugged him tight. "Y/N, always looking like a treat, that definitely never change." He kissed your neck and you pulled your arms off him. The raven-haired man looked at you from head to toe before humming. "Oh, right, sorry. Y/N, let me introduce you to Levi Ackerman." You smiled, even though the man seemed not to care in the least. "Pleased to meet you. I’m Y/N." You raised your hand to shake his, which he reluctantly did. "I’ve never seen you around. Are you new?" Levi looked at Erwin, hesitating. "He’s been abroad for 4 years now, he joined one year after you did." You nodded silently, obviously intrigued by his odd behaviour. "How is it that a soldier is that informal with you?" You raised an eyebrow at the man, for he obviously mistook your rank. "I-" You noticed the funny look Erwin was giving you, and decided to go with it. "You’re correct, but Erwin and I know each other for years, this is the reason why we’re so familiar." You patted Erwin’s arm. He nodded and promptly looked away. You eyed Erwin in disbelief and he let out a soft chuckle. First of all, the guy had the nerves to almost not shake your hand when offered. Second, he obviously took you for a low-ranked soldier due to the fact that you were a woman, which happened a little more than you’d like to. Erwin knew your temper, so he hushed you inside the huge luxurious meeting rooms, filled with Capos and soldiers. After greeting a few men and women, you made your way to get a drink, when you were stopped on track by Levi. "Are you getting a drink for your Capo?" He held your arm lightly. You stared at his hand, anger starting to boil inside of you, before gently but dryly removing it. "I was getting it for _me._ " _Me, as in I am a Capo, dickhead._ "Be a darling and get me one, please." Not only did he seem to ignore everything that came out of your mouth, he didn’t even look at you when he asked you for a drink. You scanned the room and found Erwin looking at you, mouthing you to concede, which you did. "Gladly, give me a minute." You faked a smile and left. Erwin approached Levi from behind. "Not used to big crowds, huh?" He patted his shoulders. "Used to, but not enjoying that in the least." Both men chuckled before you returned with a drink in your hand. "Anything for you, Erwin?" you said sarcastically. He shook his head, letting out a sigh because you seemed obviously pissed of his little game. "Oh, my time is up. If you would excuse me." You smiled as he rubbed the little of your back before making his way through the crowd of people. Levi noticed it and raised an eyebrow. "Well, if you would excuse me, Levi. Unless you need anything else?" You asked and he noted a hint of sarcasm in your voice. He halfhearted smiled as you left to find a seat.

The meeting started with Erwin going through reports of previous missions congratulating his men for their job. "Y/N, very good job with the centre. How is your team going ?" Levi almost chocked on his drink. He understood the sarcasm and your reluctance of conceding to what he asked. You were no soldier, no secretary or side chick of the Underboss. "Thank you, Erwin. We were able to lure a few more clients, thanks to Armin’s skills in IT. Things are going smoothly for the moment." You took a look on Levi’s side, grinned when he understood his mistake. After an hour of two of Erwin explaining what was next, who was assigned to which tasks, the meeting finally came to an end. You quickly got up and gathered your stuff when you felt a familiar hand _once again_ holding your arm tightly. "You’ll have to learn to stop doing this." You freed your arm and turned to the raven haired man. "You’re a Capo. Why not telling me before ?" He asked calmly. "Erwin seemed to find it funny, so I just got along with him. Speaking of the devil." You smiled at the tall man coming your way. "Levi, surprised ?" He laughed and patted your head. "Careful with her, she bites." You shook your head. "I might if you keep doing this. I’m not a child anymore." You gently threatened him. "This I know, dear." He gave you a look that could not be mistaken, even Levi felt quite uneasy. "Well, _messieurs_ , time for me to take a bow. I have a squad to keep an eye on, and not the other way round, right Levi?" You chuckled. "Then I’m guessing I’ll see you at work. » You waved and left the luxurious room. Both men watched your every steps, as if they were bewitched by your beauty.


	2. Dinner and guns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Questionable jokes, a dress and two hot dates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good day, guys!
> 
> I hope your week has been great, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I couldn't be any happier.
> 
> Chapter 2 is out, and I hope you'll like it. Don't hesitate to drop a comment if you have any feedback or advise, it's always very well appreciated. :)
> 
> Have a lovely time reading!
> 
> Until next time, xoxo.

After your departure, Levi waited for Erwin a little more before going at the said centre. "What is that centre exactly?" Levi sat in the passenger seat. "We own a building, not far from here. It’s under a fake company name, obviously. It provides a place for us and associates to meet without bringing any attention. Also used to lure target. One of the member in Y/N’s squad is kind of a master of IT, he hacks down servers and lures them in our centre, so we can be aware of their moves." Erwin started the engine. "Clever, as always Eyebrows." Levi looked outside. "Stop calling me that for God’s sake." The blond man laughed while the raven-haired one remained silent. "Y/N is like an undercover supervisor there. She meets and greets us and clients, don’t be surprised if she calls you by your surname there, it’s part of the play. She has access to all the targets’ data, which is useful for us. And, as you maybe understood, she is pretty good at getting what she wants, one way or another." Erwin had his eyes staring at the road in front of him, though Levi understood clearly what he meant.

You were indeed charming. Even more than that. H/C locks perfectly tied up in a ponytail, luxury clothes that fitted your body like a glove, a dash of bewitching perfume, seductive eyes, plump lips filled by red lipstick, a real sight for sore eyes, to quote one of your soldiers. "So… how long have you been screwing her?" Levi said out of the blue, on the most calm tone. Erwin gasped at the bluntness of the man. "Jeez, Levi, subtlety isn’t your forte, Am I right?" Both men chuckled. "Is it that obvious?" Erwin quickly eyed the man next to him before focusing on the road again. "The way she looks at your dick whenever you’re talking with her says enough, I’d say." Levi raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Are you like, in a relationship with her? She seems… Way younger than you, no offence." It was Erwin’s turn to raise an eyebrow, curious about all the questioning. "None taken. It was last year, I think. I took her on a mission with me, and you know, it just happened. But we’re not dating, just having fun while we can. She was 17 when I met her, her whole family had been slaughtered. His father was like a father for me too, at the time. Though she had no idea her family had a foot in Mafia, I offered to join and she refused. I get it, I mean you just lost everything and someone pops out of nowhere, saying your family was part of a mafia, it’s not so easy to swallow. She only asked me to take care of her house and left for a year. When she came back, the house was still here but no one else. I think she just wanted a family back. She reached out to me and finally joined. She’s like… a little sister to me." Levi chuckled. "A little sister that you fuck? Man, you have some sick fantasies." Erwin shook his head, laughing at himself for saying such things out loud. "You get what I mean, I care about her a lot. Though she’s definitely strong enough to care about herself now. But you’ll see that in due time. We’re here."

Levi looked at the four-floors building in front of him. The building was sophisticated, with large bay windows on all sides, he could even see the inside of some of the offices. Once they arrived in an underground parking lot, an elevator took them to the main floor. The interior was luxurious, almost as luxurious as a renowned hotel. The walls were painted an off-white color, complemented by gold ornaments on top of them. Large vases filled with huge bouquets of various flowers, bookcases from floor to ceiling, exotic plants, various statues and paintings, a range of simple but visually pleasing tones, emerald green for the sofas, black for the tables and chairs, all in harmony. He loved this place, everything was clean, tidy. They quickly crossed the hallway and arrived at the reception, a large marble slab with light colors reminiscent of the walls. You were there, chatting with a man whom Erwin did not recognise. Your hair was tied up on the nape of her neck, a white shirt as light as one could almost see through it, a skirt that hugged you in all the right places, a pair of stiletto that lengthened your legs, the view was breathtaking.

Your face lighted up at the sight of the two men, dressed up in suit. You were saying goodbye to the client with whom you were chatting with to greet the two men. "M. Smith, M. Ackerman, pleased to see you again. Please follow me so I can take you to your meeting room." You greeted them with a large smile, remaining as professional as you could be, as some clients were in the area. You installed them in a meeting room just behind the reception. Levi shivered at how good his name rolled on your tongue. Both men followed you without further due to the room. "That is quite the play, if I may." Levi said, taking off his coat and placing it on the closest chair. "At your service, sir." You winked before shutting the door right behind you. "This place is truly beautiful, Erwin. Congrats, it does look real." He approached the large bay window to admire the view. Even if the building was not so high, it still had a good view of the city. "It is real." Erwin emphasised, grinning behind him. "But I agree, Y/N was in charge of most of the interior decoration, she did quite the job."

You got back to your desk, knowing they would call if they needed anything. You knew they would probably have a lot to catch up on, since Levi hasn’t been around for four years. You did your usual tasks, monitored data and got in touch with Armin and Eren, had more coffees than you should have and soon it was time for you to have your lunch. You were about to go when the main door opened. To your despair, a familiar but _unwelcomed_ face appeared. The tall man smirked as you rolled your eyes. "Good morning, Sunshine. You look as stunning as ever. No greetings today?" You clenched your teeth at the nickname, but somehow tried to stay professional. "M. Braun, good morning to you." You remained next to your desk. "Could you lead me to M. Smith’s room? I have some matter to discuss." You lightly shook your head at his superior air but still had to play the part, even if the only thing you wanted was to push him in the face. "Follow me please." You knocked on the wooden door and opened when given permission. Erwin caught a glimpse of your pissed off face, seeing Reiner behind you, he quickly understood what the fuss was about.

Mikasa arrived quickly after Reiner’s departure, making things easier after whatever happened this morning between the two of them. "Anything special? You look like shit, Boss. No offence." You smiled at the girl. "None taken. Nothing special except Shitface calling me sunshine." You pretended to throw up, which made Mikasa burst in laughter. "That is gross, honestly." You two chit-chatted a little longer before you decided to leave. You took advantage of the fact that there was no one around to slip into the meeting room where Erwin and Levi were. "I thought you were not allowed to do that." Levi relaxed into his chair. You looked at all the papers spread on the table. "No one’s around and Mikasa is taking over. Relax, honey." You said seductively before sitting next to the blond man. He instantly patted your back as you leaned your arms and head on the table. "I wonder what he did to suffer your wrath." Erwin rested his hands on your waist. "Not a fun story to tell. Besides, there is a man over there whom I don’t know enough about to tell my dirty little secrets." You joked, leaning back. Levi let out a soft chuckle, eyes fixated on you. "Well, I don’t want to bother your work. I’ll be leaving now. Mikasa is here in case you need anything." You quickly got up and straightened your shirt, when Erwin held your wrist. "What’s with you two? Can you stop doing that?" Erwin let go of you with a playful smirk. "Dinner, tonight?" He smiled gently. "I thought you’d never ask." You quickly kissed his cheek. "You know that it is considered rude to make plans in front of someone, without having the courtesy to invite them?" Levi crossed his arms in a mix of annoyance and playfulness. You rolled your eyes. "Oh well, Mister Manners, would you like to join us tonight?" He smirked. "I’d love to, Miss Pissed Off." You gasped at the nickname, though it wasn’t completely wrong. Most of the times, you were pissed off. After agreeing on an hour, you took your leave of the two men, waved at Mikasa before quickly going home. Although it didn’t bother you that Levi insisted on tagging along, you hoped he wouldn’t ruin _the rest_ of the evening, and by that you meant you and Erwin having your own ways to 'catch up’.

After spending an hour or so to clean the mess you left this morning, you felt extremely tired but relieved. You couldn’t stand the dirt, a 'rich’ habit, some would say. You checked your phone to find a message from Mikasa. 'Have fun tonight. Two for the price of one, don’t you think you’re overestimating yourself a little?’ You chuckled and grinned at the indecent text. _How could someone be that crude?_ 'He insisted, and you shouldn’t be the one to talk, remember that walk of shame out of Jean’s quarters? How funny :) I wonder if Eren knows by now’ You wondered if you’ve gone too far with the joke, but pressed the send button anyway. As expected, your phone buzzed a second later. 'How low. Say a word and treason or not, you’re dead. :) Have fun with your double d’ You almost chocked on your drink just by reading the text. You pressed the call button almost instantly. "Mikasa! What the hell!" She started laughing directly after answering your call. "Y/N I’m sorry! I meant double date I swear!" By the way her laugh was almost uncontrollable, you knew she truly meant double date and not… something else.

Getting ready was your favourite part of a date. You loved all the temptation and seduction that came with it. A little perfume in the hollow of your neck, a seductive but not vulgar make-up, inviting underwear, an outfit that showed just enough but not enough, it was as if the art of seduction was flowing in your veins. You knew your charms and used them to achieve your goals, and as in almost every case, your technique was effective. What was the point of having assets, physical or mental, if you couldn’t use them? Knowing Erwin’s taste for very luxurious places, you opted for a long off-white satin dress, high heels, a small bag that contained the essentials, and a faux fur coat. If you had to look rich, you might as well go for it.You looked at the time and you had about fifteen minutes left before the arrival of your two dates tonight. It was when someone knocked on your door that you found it strange, since Erwin was rarely on time, quite the contrary. You lifted your dress a few inches to avoid getting it dirty, and walked towards the door. As you opened the door, you noticed the bewildered looks of your squad. "Boss, you’re definitely going to hell with that dress." Eren held the door frame, watching your figure from head to toe. "I already know I’m going the hell, Eren. At this point it’s really 'Go big or go home’." All of you laughed a bit before you got impatient. "If you didn’t get it yet, I have a dinner to attend to, so spit it out." You sat by your table to put on your heels. "Just some data you may find interesting, but it can wait, Boss. You should go and have fun." Armin placed a pile a paper on a shelf by the entrance. "You truly look gorgeous, Y/N." He smiled warmly at you. You returned a smile, genuinely touched by the blond boy’s words. Armin was a blessing in your squad. Always looking out for everyone, and that you were grateful of. They waved as they left your apartment, and you looked at your clock. _Damn it, I’m the one late now._ You grabbed your purse, put on your coat before you exited your flat and locked the door.

Leaving the elevator to walk through the grand hallway leading to the entrance of the building, you spotted your two dates. You waved at the two men waiting for you at the entrance. While Erwin had a victorious smile plastered on his face, as if he was proud of having such a fine woman by his side, Levi showed no sign of interest. You hushed, lifting your dress a little not to stumble on it. "Don’t look in her eyes, she might steal your soul." Erwin chuckled as you leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Don’t you know I already stole it?" You joked, leaning closer to the stoic man and kissed his cheek as well, much to his astonishment. "A pleasure to see you again, Levi, even if I might end up believing you’re mute." You smiled playfully at him, moving towards the exit, Erwin’s hand on the little of your back. "Does he _ever_ smile ?" You asked not-so-quietly to Erwin, which caused him to chuckle. "Only when there is a good reason to." You heard Levi respond from behind. You turned only to see a smirk forming on his face, challenging you. "Wow, that’s rude." Putting a hand on your chest, you fainted shock. "Well, my only hope is to become one of these reasons soon, then." You winked at him and he rolled his eyes at your cheekiness.

You grabbed the arms of both men, who looked at you in surprise. "What?" You wondered, almost innocently. "Having two hot dates doesn’t happen everyday, might as well make the full out of it!" Levi shook his head at your bluntness while Erwin offered his arm gladly. "At least _one_ of you is a gentleman." You joked. Levi extended his arm towards you and you smiled in victory as you wrapped your arm around his. "Erwin, you told me she might bite, not be a cocky brat." He merely said, a hand in his pocket. "A _'brat’_? Choose your words carefully, Ackerman." You eyed him almost dangerously. "And I choose them very wisely, darling." He raised an eyebrow, as if waiting for you to fight back. Deciding not give in, you just laughed it off and entered Erwin’s car.

You arrived at the lavish restaurant less than fifteen minutes later. The place was truly gorgeous and you silently thanked your instinct for dressing up classy. Next to you, Erwin fitted the décor almost to perfection. Blonde hair slicked back, broad shoulders in a perfectly adjusted suit, he was a sight for sore eyes. On the other hand, the smaller man cleaned up as well as his blond fellow. His undercut making you want to run your hands up and down his nape, you could see through his suit that he definitely was ripped, despite being smaller. Calloused but slick hands you were sure could do wonders were adjusting his collar back in place. It was as if 'hot, rich and classy’ was written all over him. You were interrupted in your daydream by Erwin, gesturing you to move forward. You entered the restaurant and gasped at the scenery unfolding in front of your eyes. You were used to Erwin taking you to luxurious restaurant, but this one was like no other. Huge crystal chandeliers hanging by the roof, whitish walls with gold ornaments, gigantic mirrors going from the floor to the ceiling, a giant fireplace, satin padded chairs and sofas, low lights, a man playing some piano in the background, a bar that seemed to be straight from the 20s, the place was a little paradise on its own. "Erwin, this place is… Unbelievable." Your eyes sparkled at you held Erwin by the arm, Levi’s long forgotten. "It’s been a while, had to make it up for weeks of absence." He winked at you. You smiled in response, eyes in awe. Levi cleared his throat as he began to feel like he was third wheeling. In fact, he pretty much was. He kind of insisted to tag along, having returned less than a week ago, he needed company, and yours seemed to be just the right choice. After all, he always got what he wanted, a way or another.


	3. The essentials

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories, a bloody dress and a black van

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good day, fellows!
> 
> Welcome back to our weekly update and I am THRILLED.
> 
> I hope you'll like and if you do, don't hesitate to smash that kudo/comment button, I'd love to hear what you think of it!
> 
> As always, I wish you a lovely reading.
> 
> Until later, xoxo

The three of you sat by a table in the corner or the restaurant. Putting your coat aside, Levi accidentally knocked on your purse. "Careful here, sir. It contains all the essentials." Levi raised an eyebrow but didn’t bring it up. Usually very relaxed in the company of Erwin, you found yourself feeling something like shy under the fixed scrutiny of Levi. His eyes couldn’t leave yours, yet his mouth wouldn’t utter a word. The awkward silence broke when the waiter came in to take your order. "Good evening, my name’s James, I’ll be your waiter for the night. What can I get you?" You looked at the man from head to toe. "Well, James. Have we met before? Your face is somehow familiar." You frowned. "I believe we did not, Miss. I arrived in town a few days ago." The young man looked away quickly and you nodded slowly, not fully convinced by his answer. Once you all ordered, Erwin rubbed your naked shoulder. "What’s wrong, angel?" Your hand near his neck, you played with the hem of his collar. "I don’t know, just a weird vibe. Something I can’t pinpoint." You answered, lost in your thoughts. "You’re weird." Levi cut you off. "And you’re boring." You snapped, rolling your eyes. You couldn’t shake that feeling that you knew the guy, somehow. His behaviour was odd, not only to you but to your two dates too. Both men eyed him, gauging if there was anything to worry about. You quickly forgot about it, catching up with the conversation.

The waiter came back with your drinks and disposed them of the table. He mumbled something you barely heard and left in silence. The three of you watched him go, a unknown tension building up, as if on the verge of a danger. "See? Now we’re all paranoid." Levi brought his glass up. "To your weirdness, gorgeous." Erwin chuckled and raised his glass. You laughed with him, clinking your glass with theirs. "You haven’t seen anything yet, trust me." You relaxed on your chair, sipping on your icy drink. "So tell me, Ackerman, what is there to know about you?" You leaned closer, your elbows on the table, as if preying for him. He remained silent for a minute, before his body relaxed and shifted to the side a little. "Nothing much, really." He took a sip of his brownish drink. "No family left, used to kill for a living, now I’m here." You looked at him, intrigued. "A hitman, huh? Interesting, though you don’t strike me as a professional criminal." You leaned back, raising an eyebrow. "That’s what makes me so good at it." He chuckled. "What do you expect, a black hoodie and a scary face? The devil has many faces, sugar." He looked away. "And he made yours seductive, if I may." You played with the stray of your glass, raising your eyes to his level. "She really knows how to play the part, this I must concede." You smiled widely and Erwin nodded, observing your exchange since you sat at the table. "I’m sure Erwin must have told you about my tragic story, Am I right?" Your gaze shifted to the blonde man, who almost giggled for being caught red-handed. "I might have said a word or two." He placed his arm around your shoulders. "You always do." You rubbed his cheek affectionately and Levi cleared his throat, interrupting your act of affection, as if to remind you of his presence. "I see you there, M. Manners. Going to complain I’m affectionate with Erwin in front of you? I think you’re smart enough to understand the nature of our relationship." Levi smirked because he could have complained, but didn’t when you cut him off. His expression changed from flirty to serious in a second. "That waiter, where do you think you know him from?" Erwin’s face darkened and you felt tension building up in your shoulders. "Who’s paranoid now?" You chuckled to light up the mood, before Erwin gave you his 'serious’ look. "I don’t remember, to be honest. I just have a weird feeling. Why?" You remained still, not wanting to drag any unwanted attention. "He’s been staring a little too long." Levi’s hands clutched around his glass. "God, why can’t we have one normal evening?" You took your face in your hands. "Come on, let’s not ruin the evening so fast, beside the fact that he seems familiar to you and that he’s been staring, nothing’s alarming. Let’s just forget about him and enjoy okay?" Erwin reassuringly patted your shoulder, giving you a genuine smile. Levi nodded silently even though he kept an eye on the waiter.

After this, the evening resumed his course and you found out that the cold, serious raven haired man finally had a tiny bit of humour. Meal was exquisite, dessert a blessing. You had left the table to make yourself more comfortable in the bar area and you must admit that the three of you fitted perfectly in the 20s vibe the whole place gave off. You sat back in the padded sofa, half-listening to Erwin’s past missions anecdotes, slow lounge-y music making you drift in thoughts. These kind of moments were what you liked the most. These moments of life, glimpses of happiness, where nothing really happened but you could feel, life was good. After your parents’ death, you wandered around the world for months, running after this warm feeling above everything else. You visited places, met people but you never found it. That family-like feeling, that bond you used to share with loved ones. You came home to a house full of memories and ghosts from the past, cold and oh-so empty. That’s when you decided to accept Erwin’s proposition, you had nothing left anyway. The first two years were tough. The training, the loss of more loved ones during missions… but with time, you came to enjoy the thrill of a mission, to accept death, to enjoy your life. Little by little, you discovered you were strong, maybe not in a sense of muscular mass but on an intellectual level. You developed your skills, your fighting abilities, you learned how to deal with people, how to get them to do what you wanted, and how good you were at that. You leaned that a smart mouth and good looks were your best weapons. Erwin was the one to push you this way. "A woman can always get what she wants, once she knows how to ask." He always said, smiling warmly. For hours, he told you about how weak men were, and how you could turn this into an advantage. You ranked up and finally had a squad to work with and take care of. They could be the biggest pain in the ass, but oh how happy they could make you. Isn’t that what a family is all about? Sometimes you hate, most of the time you love but in the end you cared about them very much. You practically forced them to brunch altogether every Sunday, no matter the mood. That was your ritual.

"Hello? Earth to Y/N. Are you even listening ?" You snapped back to reality when you felt Erwin’s hand on your thigh. "Sorry, I kind of dozed off." You smiled and put your dress back in place. "Let me refresh in the bathroom real quick, I’ll be back in a minute." You grabbed your purse and waved at the two men, walking away. You quickly made your way to the bathroom, which was, just like the rest of the place, luxurious. Standing in front of the huge mirrors, you opened your bag to get your make up when you heard the door reopen and a 'click’ right after. You looked up in the mirror to find, unsurprisingly, a gun pointed directly at you and on the good side of the gun was your beloved waiter, a sick smile on his face. You finished applying your lipstick and smiled softly through the mirror before turning to face him. "Hell, my guts never fail me." You leaned against the marble deck and crossed your legs. "James, that’s not your real name, obviously. Mind sharing it with me?" You fidgeted your purse. "You think I’m that dumb? Don’t move." You heard the familiar 'click’ of his gun. "Hands on your head, I need to make sure you’re not armed." You did as asked, for the man was obviously nervous. "There’s nothing under this dress more than flesh and perfume, but go ahead, be my guest." The waiter slides his gun in his back-pocket and started patting your body from under your arms. "Spread your legs." He asked harshly. "Taking the matter in your own hands, I see." The man pulled out his gun and pressed it on your lips. You couldn’t help but gulp at the cold metal oh-too close from you. "Easy there, I just trying to lift this murder-esque mood." You muttered. "Did I ask? Shut it." You mentally cursed at yourself for getting your purse but forgetting your phone on the table. The young man kneeled in front of you and started patting your shoes. You gritted your teeth when you felt his hands wander a bit further than they should. "You might want to stop here, buddy." You blurted, you wish you could defend yourself if he didn’t have a damn gun. "Shut it before I decorate this soft skin with holes." He rubbed his thumb against your flesh and the higher he went, the harder your hands clutched against each other, rage starting to boil inside you from your defencelessness. You tried to slowly put your arms down and grab your purse, only to be stopped by the cold metal of the gun against your thigh. "What did I say, honey? No funny moves. I’m not done yet." He whispered and an ugly, devilish smirk formed on his face as he started to lift your dress.

"I’d listen to her, man." The man at your knees instantly turned his head at the intruder and before he knew it, you kicked him right in his nose. A cry of pain escaped his lips and he let go of his gun to add pressure on his bleeding nose. You kicked the gun, sending it to the opposite side of the room. You finally grabbed your purse and pulled a gun out. "Took you long enough, for fuck’s sake." You blurted to Levi, aiming for the waiter’s head. "Maybe you were just taking a shit." You gasped at his crude words and shook your head. "But you’re welcome. Are you hurt?" The raven-haired man walked casually to your side, hands buried in his pockets. "I’m not hurt, I’m fucking pissed." You quickly checked your load of bullets before turning all your attention to the wounded man. "Who sent you?" The man only grunted in response, holding his bloody nose. Anger and impatience boiling inside you, you pulled the trigger and aimed just next to his head, much to everyone’s astonishment. The waiter cried in fear, while Levi didn’t flinch, eyes locked on you with surprise. "Spit it out, because next time I won’t miss." The man remained silent, you shot right next to his leg and he shrieked. "Oops, I missed again. Levi, could you teach me how to aim properly?" You laughed and turned your head to face your victim, a pout on your mouth. "He was a hitman before, I’m guessing they never miss." You whispered to the frightened man, now covered in his own blood. Levi laughed at your twisted game, took the gun in his hand and instantly shot his right leg, which caused the waiter to scream in pain. "Good shot, Ackerman!" You clapped your hands together, giggling. "Maybe now you’ll be a bit more talkative." You kneeled down, not caring about the blood staining your white dress. "Poor thing," you wiped away the tears on the waiter’s cheek. "You were so eager to touch me five minutes ago, now look at you…" You reached for his chin, reading the fear that filled his eyes. You opened your mouth to talk when he spat right in your hand. "Fucking disgusting. Levi, he won’t say a thing." He nodded. You walked towards the sink to wash your hands. "They’ll come for me." The man scoffed. "They’ll come for me and they’ll kill you, fucking slut." He blurted. "But before that, you have no idea what they’ll do to you. You’ll be begging them to end your life…" He started laughing when you took the gun off Levi’s hands in a swift movement and shot him right between his eyes. Levi just stood there, watching the bloody mess you both did, and he thanked the universe for having a silencer equipped on your gun. "I’ve hard enough bullshit for tonight." You dialled a number and held your phone between your cheek and shoulder, desperately trying to rinse the blood off your dress. "Eren, get a cleaning team. We had…an incident." You quickly filled your soldier with the details and Levi quietly waited for you, leaning on the door frame.

"A gun, huh? Who takes a gun to a date?" He scoffed. You smiled and winked at him. "I told you, I only carry the essentials." You grabbed his arms, trying to cover your blood-stained dress while hushing to join Erwin. "What took you so long?" Erwin walked in front of you. "A friendly chit-chat." Levi got out of the restaurant first while you tried to hide any trace of your crime. "Guys." Levi bumped into you, blocking the way out. "I don’t like that tone at all." You sighed, crossing your arms and softly rubbing your fingers against your temple. "A black van is waiting outside. Not to be paranoid, but after what happened in the bathroom…" He casually laid against the closed door. "Fuck me…" You sighed. "Bad timing for that, honey. We need to get to the car first." Levi merely said, wiping dry blood off his hand. You rolled your eyes. "Levi, darling, I’m afraid I forgot my coat, could you fetch it for me?" You batted your lashes, smiling childishly. Levi nodded emotionlessly and you eyed the van in the distance. Your heartbeat went faster, like a bad omen. "I need to get to the car, one way or another." Erwin’s eyes scanned every inches of the parking and assessed the situation quickly. "You need to be careful, we don’t know what they want." You rubbed his arm and he nodded. "It’s fine, I’ll find a way." He paused. "But I need you two to be a bait." You knew it was coming, if Erwin had to get to the car, you’d have to distract whoever was after you. "Pull your best acting skills, whoever they are, I don’t think they’d try anything if they’re not 100% sure of their target, so try to hide your face as much as you can. Got it?" You nodded and patted his back, gesturing him to go. Levi came back a minute later, your coat in hand, which he helped you put on. "A real gentleman or you understood this is an act?" You leaned in and asked him, placing a kiss in the crook of his neck. "Maybe both." He took you by the hand and lead you outside. "Let the show begin, then." You smiled when he held the door for you, sliding past him and eventually brushing very close to _that part_ of his pants, earning a smirk from him.


	4. The ritual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A passionate kiss, a man's twisted plan and insanity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good day, fellows!
> 
> It's been a while, and I hope you and your loved ones are doing fine!
> 
> Life and writer's block got in the way, but here I am, again, back with chapter 4!  
> I hope you'll like it, smash that comments button to give me your feedback, I'd love to hear it :) As always, I wish you a lovely reading.
> 
> Until later, xoxo

Hand in hand, you exited the building and stopped just in front of the entrance, waiting for Erwin. "Sir, do you need me to bring you your car?" A young man in uniform inquired. "It’s fine, thanks." Levi lowered his head but quickly understood the valet had no clue about the situation. Turning his attention back to you, he pushed you against the small barrier and a hand on each side, he trapped you. "Have you enjoyed our evening, sweetheart?" He leaned in and pulled you closer in his embrace. "Very much, even if my dress is ruined." You hid the bloody stains from the eyes of the valet by bringing your feet together in between Levi’s legs. "It would have been anyway, one way of another, my dear." A smile formed on the corner of his mouth. "What exactly are you implying?" You raised an eyebrow, curious. The valet glanced at you two before quickly turning his head, a light smirk on his face. Levi slowly pulled your face closer to his, a hand gently holding your nape, adding slight pressure with his fingertips. Eyes to eyes, you couldn’t help but swoon a little in front of these almost magical grey orbs looking right back at you. For an instant, it was like he could read right through you. In a swift and delicate movement, he brought your lips against his. It may have started off as a chaste kiss, but quickly turned into something more passionate. Tongues swirling around each other’s, his kiss had the sweet and strong taste of the alcohol he’s been drinking, making you feel intoxicated, making you wish it never stopped. You felt his smooth hand travelling from your nape to the little of your back, pulling you in with a carnal desire.

While you hoped the kiss would last forever, you lazily opened one eye to stay aware of your surroundings. They widened when the black van was nowhere to be found. Unwillingly breaking the kiss, your eyes reopened to a surprised and frustrated Levi. He tried to pull you in once again, a second too late. You stood there, on the highest step of the stone stairs, nervously searching in your bag for your phone. Aware of your sudden stiffness, Levi switched to danger mode in a second. "What’s taking him so long ?" You said under your breath. You gazed the area in front of you, eyes scanning every bit of the parking for any kind of movement. "Apologies if you did not enjoy this as much as I did." He joked, leaning against a barrier, trying to lift the mood and allay the tension. "Under other circumstances, Ackerman, I would not have stopped, trust me." You gave him a sly smile, your eyes still locked in the darkness in front of you. When you finally got a hand on your phone, you found a ton of text messages from the one person you were so worried about.

‘got to the car safely. Trying to find a way to get you without drawing the van’s attention’

You smiled, releasing a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

‘ok they’re def after us. might take longer than I thought. stay safe’

‘can’t get you in front of the restaurant but a few feet away, be ready to move’

‘had to tour the van around, they’re following me’

‘walk to your right, i’m there’

‘Y/N’

‘Y/N look at your damn phone’

‘seems like Levi’s mouth’s more of a priority than your own safety’

‘don’t blame me for getting shot’

‘when you two lovebirds are done, get your asses to the car’

You smiled at your sweet stalker and turned your head to the right, finding Erwin’s car waiting not far. You couldn’t help but feel a bit ashamed for being distracted so easily. Erwin wouldn’t make a scene about you and Levi kissing, because obviously you two weren’t a thing in the first place, but he would definitely be angry for you not being focused on your safety when you were in possible danger. You felt Levi’s presence behind you, trying his best to hide the tent in his pants. He raised an eyebrow in annoyance when the valet staring at him from head to toe, already flustered he had to witness your steamy make-out. "Levi, darling, let’s walk. Shall we?" You smiled at him innocently and he understood. He took your hand and nodded a goodbye to the valet. "What’s wrong?" The short man asked as you quickly walked away from the lavish restaurant. "Erwin’s been waiting for ages." You merely said. He only nodded in acknowledgement when you spotted the car at the end of the sidewalk. You hurried as you caught Erwin’s sighing when you approached. "It’s about time." You entered through the backseat door while Levi fitted on the passenger side. "Sorry Boss, I didn’t check my phone." You closed the door and blushed for he was obviously pissed. "Mmh, wonder why." He started the engine and eyed you in the rear-view mirror. "Don’t put all the blame on her, I started it." Levi attempted to save your ass, little did he know. "Bold of you to assume I fucking care about who started." You widened your eyes at his words. He was not pissed, he was fucking pissed. "It doesn’t matter what you did or who started, I don’t blame any of you for even doing that. Lord knows I’ve done the same in other circumstances. I blame your stupid asses for being fucking dumb not to care for your safety first. You have plenty of time to fuck when we’re not in danger." Though his posture and voice seemed calm and composed, you could feel the anger in every look he gave you. "You’re both smart. I assume you both know it could have ended up very differently.", "But it didn’t." You casually said, more worried over the blood on your dress than the current situation. Levi nearly chocked at the disrespect. He was not a man of rules, for he often broke them when necessary, but he believed in respect, especially in to those who deserved it, and Erwin deserved his respect and yours. "You have to learn respect, dear." He eyed you. "Look at this cute puppy. You’re on his side now? If I recall correctly, you wouldn’t have stopped if I didn’t." You forced a smile on your lips just to mock him, and rolled your eyes which had caused him the need to put you back in your place one way or another, and God knows he had many ways. "Tch. Brat." He turned back and straightened his pants. "Coward." You whispered just behind his ear. "I beg your fucking pardon?" He gasped, shifting almost entirely on his seat to face you. Erwin lightly chuckled at your exchange. You were ready and almost happy to fight the angry short man, when Erwin suddenly pulled over, making your head hit the back of the seat.

Just before you could say something, the tall blond man turned to you. "Your bag, please." Without any second thought, you handed him the shiny purse, frowning. You saw him taking your phone and credit card out of it. "Out." You rose your head in disbelief. "What?" "You heard me, Y/N. Out, now." You crossed your arm together. "I’m not walking home." You realised how much of a spoiled brat you looked like at the moment, but didn’t move whatsoever. "Out before I need to take you myself. I’m dead serious, Y/N. Don’t cause a fucking scene and get the fuck out of my car." Pride taking over, you furiously grabbed your purse from his hands and your coat before exiting the damn car.You spotted Levi smirking before the car left the sidewalk. You thought it was a joke, until you couldn’t see the car anymore. You waited five, ten, twenty minutes in hope they would come back to get you. Oh how they would regret this.

Meanwhile and feet away, Erwin and Levi were patiently waiting for you to lose your sanity. "You’re sick, you know that?" Levi rested his arm on the window. "Sometimes she needs to be taught a lesson. Too bad I was not in the best mood tonight." He smiled wickedly. "We only have to wait until her breaking point." Levi laughed, staring at your angry form from afar. "You’re aware that could last for hours, right?" He slightly opened the window for some fresh air. "No phone, no money, she’s pissed and I bet these heels hurt like bitches. It won’t take long before she lose it." Levi smirked for he lowkey enjoyed your punishment, too bad he didn’t think of it himself. "She’s going to hate you." He lighted a cigarette and Erwin chuckled. "Hate me? Ohhhh no. She’s going to be all smiles and kisses, until she finds the right moment to get her revenge. She’s the kind of crazy you don’t necessarily want to deal with." Both men laughed and Erwin shook his head. "There we go, show’s starting." They leaned in, as if watching some kind of animal in a zoo.

You had enough. In fact, too much. You roamed angrily through your tiny bag. What were you looking for ? No idea, probably something to crack both of Erwin and Levi’s heads open. You had absolutely no clue where you were and no phone to check. There was no way you could call a cab without any cash or credit card, and these heels hurt like bitches. Erwin knew damn right about all of this. "Can’t you shut your mouth sometimes?" You said out loud, sighing. Another five minutes of not knowing where you were or what to do drove you insane. At this point, you already took of your bloody heels and started walking towards the same direction Erwin’s car went. Maybe you’d find some help on the way. You heard the motor of a car in the empty street and sighed in relief, relief that vanished as soon as you realised it was not Erwin in the car but instead a complete stranger. "Are you lost, sweetheart?" The seemingly old man asked you, lowering his head to get a better look at you. "Do I look lost to you? I’m fine, thank you Sir. You can just go ahead." You didn’t even bother to look at him, still walking barefooted. "Come honey, I wouldn’t let such a fine lady like you walk home alone at this hour." He was driving slowly to match your pace, still staring at you between two looks at the road. "Oh honey," You started in annoyance. "I’m not in the best mood right, so for your own safety, be gone." You hushed him away with your hand. "Mmh, you’re the wild kind, huh?" He smiled at you in a way that made your stomach twist in disgust. "I bet daddy can make you feel better. Come on, you won’t regret it." You heard him unlock the passenger door of his car. In a blast of anger and utter annoyance, you pulled you gun out, silently thanking Erwin he at least left that in your bag. "How about daddy shut that disgusting mouth before honey aims right at it, huh?" You’ve never seen a man depart so fast.

That was the breaking point Erwin waited for. Pulling your gun out and threatening a civilian? You’d never do that in your normal state. He started the engine and 3 minutes later, he was driving next to you. "Need a ride?" He grinned, shaking his head when he saw you still had your gun in hand. "It’s about fucking time." You instantly entered through the back seat door. "You know you could have been in trouble for pulling this out, right ?" He pointed at your gun with his chin. "This?" You played with it as if it was a kid toy. "The only thing my dear boss left me with." You laughed and put your weapon away in your bag. "What was it about anyway?" Levi asked. "An insisting old pig. He called himself daddy, can you believe that?" You chuckled and started looking for your phone and credit card in all the little places. "Looking for these?" Levi held it far enough so you could not take it back immediately. "Thanks." It is when you stretched your arm to grab your belongings that he put it back in the glove box. "I’m pissed already. Come on." You opened your hand so he could place it in. "This, my dear," He pointed the glove box, "is our guarantee you’ll behave for the remaining of the ride." You could almost feel his smirk from your seat. To his surprise, you didn’t fight but leaned back instead, crossing your arms lazily. "Whatever. Are we soon here? I’m dying for a shower." Levi didn’t really pay attention to your question but Erwin gave you a sly smile, knowing exactly why you had the urge the wash yourself.

He remembered the first time you actually had to kill. It was a mission gone bad and messy. At some point, you found yourself surrounded. Your hands shaking, drops of sweats rolled down your forehead, men around you mocking your state, joking about what was going to happen to you before they would kill you for good. You were petrified, you couldn’t even hear Erwin’s voice properly, screaming for you to do something, anything. Your vision was getting blurrier by the minute. He was watching you losing it from afar, not being to do anything to help you. This time, he really thought it was the end. He really thought he’s lose you for good. When he heard the gunshots, he didn’t dare to look back at what might remain of you even though he wanted to go back, oh-how he wanted to hold you one last time, to be here when you’d be releasing your last breath, to tell you it was all his fault. It took all his strength to finally look in the direction of the gunshots. The vision unfolding before his eyes got him breathless. It was you, alive and gone into some kind of berserk mode, killing enemies by the dozens. When the massacre came to an end, he brought you back to his place. You were covered in blood, speechless, as if something within you was gone. He tried to talk to you, to comfort you in any way possible but nothing made the cut. It was only when he brought you into his bathroom, turned on the water and pushed you fully clothed into his shower so that he could help you clean up that you finally spoke to him. "I’ll do it." You grabbed the shampoo from his hand and he eyed you, worried. "It’s fine. I’m fine. Please, let me do it." This night, you stayed in his shower for hours. He still remembered your cries and sobs, echoing through the walls. This night, this had become your ritual. This night, and every night after, each and every time you killed someone, at any hour or the day or the night, you’d show up in Erwin’s quarter and shower for hours, as if you tried to erase all your sins with soap and water.


	5. The truth behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One more drink, Erwin's quarters and painful memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good days, fellows!
> 
> Welcome to our weekly update! I hope you are all doing alright despite the current situation. Please stay safe and don't forget to take care of yourself and your loved ones!
> 
> Back to business, I've put trigger warnings (listed below) for this one, just in case. So please, proceed carefully. This is not meant to hurt anyone.  
> However, I hope you'll have a good time reading this chapter, don't hesitate to send me your feedbacks, I love to read them.
> 
> As usual, I wish you a lovely reading, my dears.
> 
> Until next time, xoxo
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING : MENTION OF BLOOD, STATE OF SHOCK, TRAUMA, ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACK.

The remaining of the ride has been quiet, Erwin being a precautious driver and Levi a man of few words. These two things combined with the stress caused by the events of the night and the very low sound of the radio, you dozed off after five minutes of silence. When you reopened your eyes, you recognised the outside of your building from afar. You checked your phone to find a few unread messages from Eren, confirming the ‘incident’ has been taken care of without any more commotion. You quickly answered him when Erwin’s voice made you snap back to reality. "Everything ok?" He raised one eyebrow. "Yeah, Eren’s got the bathroom situation in hand." He nodded and focused back on the road. Minutes later, Erwin parked his car on his usual spot and the three of you made your way to the elevator. "One last drink, Levi?" The blond man asked, his hand travelling to the little of your back. Levi shifted his attention from the tall man in front of him to you, as if waiting for a confirmation from your side. "What do you say?" he asked while fidgeting a ring around his finger. "I’m in, but I need to get that filth off me first." He smirked, because that was something he could have said himself. He nodded, not aware of the whole spectrum that lied behind a simple shower.

Content, Erwin pressed the button to his floor and began to inspect your stained dress. "Looks like this one is ruined, sweetheart." He raised the bloody fabric closer to his face, exposing your legs at the same time, to the greatest pleasure of Levi, who hadn't lost a crumb of the show in front of him. You brought your hand to your forehead in despair. "Tell me about it, I can’t believe I need to throw one of my favourite dress away because of some useless jerk." Your materialistic side always made him grin. "Better the dress than you, don’t you think?" You lightly slapped his broad shoulder. "I guess." You winked back at him, and the familiar tone of the elevator indicated you arrived to his quarters, meaning directly into his quarters. Being the underboss had some perks, and having a whole floor was one of them. A. Whole. Fucking. Floor. Even though you’ve been there a thousand times, you couldn’t help but be amazed by the luxurious décor. Erwin really had amazing taste. For home design, perfumes, books, art, women, everything. You’d find huge artworks pinned on the walls, some smaller just standing on easels, statues of gods and goddesses, exotic plants, vinyls, old maps and books, oh-so many books. Erwin was quite obsessed with history in general, he turned one of his many rooms into a fully furnished kind of vintage library. His quarters looked like from another century, with all the perks of the modern world. You entered the lavish room and tossed your coat on the creme coloured couch and proceeded to take your heels off with a sigh of relief. Levi, on his side, didn’t look impressed in the least. He looked rather… bored. He only ran his fingers on some furnitures, as if he was checking for any signs of dust. His eyes just wandered around the huge room. In the mean time, Erwin was already in his open kitchen, scanning the inside of the fridge for anything nice to drink. "So that is one of your privileges, I guess? Having a whole fucking floor to yourself?" Levi laughed before getting rid of his jacket. "Not a privilege, really. I’m barely even here and this is way to big for a man alone." The raven haired man grinned, noticing how you seemed to knowyour way perfectly fine through his quarters. "I’m guessing that, whenever you’re here, you’re rarely alone, Erwin." He spoke, taking a book that was half opened on a small table. Erwin only smirked, too busy to prepare your beverages. "Good guess, Ackerman. Now, as much as I enjoy being in your company, I must excuse myself. I’ll see you in a bit." Erwin nodded and kissed your cheek when you approached him, while Levi hummed in response, too curious about the literal museum he was in. He began shuffling through books, movies, vinyls, old movie posters. It truly looked like an antique shop, but a neat a luxurious one.

Even if he didn’t really understand what was the really fuss around this shower and why you’d take yours in Erwin’s quarters when yours where just a floor below, he didn’t mention it. He was a clever man, and you knew he sensed there was something more about this innocent shower. In fact, it was burning his tongue to ask you the reason. He knew he’s find out, eventually.

After leaving the two men in the living room, you quickly walked to the bathroom, eager to finally relax between steam and foam. You entered the huge room, the very one that you used to hate, but learned to love over time. You hated it because, every time you set foot in this place, it meant you committed a murder, it meant you took someone away from their family, their loved ones, without them having the chance to say goodbye. Funny, you thought, how your fate turned out to be. You were a young girl whose family was killed without any explanation. Now, you kill people without leaving any explanation for a living. You quickly undressed, discarding your stained dress on the ground. After a final look at it, you slipped under the hot water. After five minutes, the bathroom was filled with steam and you just sat there for a while, at peace with yourself. You remembered the first times you ever came here, and Lord knows you were not as peaceful as you came to be now. You remembered the very first time indeed, and it was far, far away from peaceful.

_"I’ll do it." You grabbed the shampoo from his hand and he eyed you, worried. "It’s fine, I’m fine. Please, let me do it." He let out a soft sigh, knowing damn right your mental state was at the opposite of being ’fine’ right now. He slowly let go of the bottle. "If you need anything," he didn’t finish his sentence when you sighed impatiently, causing him to grab your chin with annoyance. "Listen to me Y/N, this is an order. If you need anything, you called me, understood?" He didn't want to overwhelm you any more than you already were, but he had to be sure that you wouldn't do anything stupid. He looked at your teary eyes, he saw the pain, the sadness, the disgust. You carefully nodded and he caressed your cheeks, an attempt to say : ‘I’m not mad, just worried’. You smiled at his soft gesture and he understood it was his time to leave you alone._

_He closed the door gently behind him. After you heard him walk away, silent tears began to flow by themselves down your dirty cheeks, speckled with small drops of dried blood. A long sigh escaped from your trembling lips and you lowered your eyes to the ground before taking a deep breath. You moved forward in front of the mirror and your eyes widened in a mixture of fear and disgust when you finally saw your face. Your face, usually innocent and charming, was stained with blood. Your hair, your clothes, your hands, no part of your body had been spared. You pinched your lips to hold a sob and with the help of a damp cotton pad, you began to gently rub your cheeks. Only your jerky breath echoed through the room. As the silence became heavier, you unconsciously rubbed the damp pad harder and harder on your weakened skin. The faster your movements accelerated, the more your tears flowed._

_You stopped suddenly, sending the piece of red-washed cotton across the room, a cry of pain coming from your lips. Your arms wrapped around your waist in a silent sob, as if to keep you from breaking into a thousand pieces. You knew that Erwin had probably heard and knew perfectly well that your mental state was far from fine, even the opposite of sane, but you also knew that he would not come, that he would respect your choice as long as his name was not spoken. With your knees threatening to collapse under the weight of your sins, you let yourself slide gently along the wall bordering the mirror. Your entire body was numb, drained of all energy by the stress, adrenaline and effort that the day had demanded of you, while in your head four words resounded over and over again: you are a murderer. Your throat tightened and your pulse quickened, then in a fit of rage, you tore off your shoes and threw them in the shower. It didn't seem to be enough for you, as you tore off your clothes one by one and threw them in a ball on the wet shower floor._

_Your sobs echoed louder and louder through the bathroom walls. All you could think about was how much you hated yourself, how much you disgusted yourself, because you had taken the life of a brother, a father, a husband, without feeling anything. Not an ounce of empathy, remorse, or pity. It was their lives or yours, and you made your choice much faster than you could have imagined. Of course, you were trying to reassure yourself, these men were not good men, these men would have killed you anyway or would have done much worse to you. They would have used you, raped you, worn you out without mercy until you begged them to shoot you in the head to end your suffering. This idea made you nauseous. You knew it well, you knew how it worked when you were a woman in this environment, Erwin had told you more than once. You would have been inflicted the kind of suffering, which next to death, seems much worse. It was their lives or yours, no matter whether they killed you or not. Over and over again, despite your efforts to try to convince yourself that this massacre was not entirely your fault, your conscience was playing a twisted game that reminded you that you had ruined the lives of many people, even though yours had been ruined years before. You knew full well what grief, sadness, loneliness, incessant crying, insomnia, denial, hope and relapse were. All those emotions that had damaged you, you were going to inflict them on innocent people, who had asked for nothing, who only wanted to love and be loved, who only wanted a family, who only wanted to live in peace. You were going to make them live this hell and all that, without explanation, without asking for forgiveness._

_When you came to your senses after your mind had played its vicious games, you finally decided to get up, even though your sobs didn't seem to want - or be able - to stop. Your eyes were red and puffy, so puffy that you could hardly see straight. Your chest was hurting from your jerky breathing, and your voice sounded as if it was broken, as if something much deeper inside you had disappeared, had shattered. You slipped gently into the shower, exhausted, overwhelmed. The water running down your legs was bloody, another reminder of your sins. You had started by emptying the shampoo bottle directly onto the top of your head and rubbing your hair until your arms hurt. Although the blood went away rather easily, the smell of it remained in your nostrils. The water became clearer and clearer, but your skin became redder and redder. The way you rubbed your skin was representative of your state of mind at that moment, tortured, almost violent. It was almost mechanical, your frenetic rhythm, as if the harder you rubbed, the more it would erase the disgust you felt towards yourself. You had weakened your skin to the point where it was almost raw. Obsessed with your movements and lost in your sobs, you hadn't heard Erwin call you repeatedly, you hadn't heard the door open, and it was with horror that he discovered you sitting in the shower, crying while rubbing your skin until it bled. He didn't say a word, just turned off the shower water, got you up and wrapped you in a clean cloth. You didn't speak either, as if your soul had left you, you were no longer quite yourself. He took your hand and guided you into his room, still without a word, but his gaze did not leave you. Was he assessing how crazy you had become, or was it just pity, you did not know. The truth was that he knew, he knew oh too well how you felt, because he had been there too, many times, oh so many times._

_You collapsed on his bed and instantly closed your eyes, in hope this day would erase itself from your memory forever._

Now was different. In fact, very different, since you had even come to enjoy those little moments with yourself.You enjoyed the sensation of warm water on your sometimes bruised skin as you watched the dirt and blood of your enemies slowly fade away. You rubbed your skin gently, using a sponge filled with intoxicatingly smelling soap. You had a whole range, one for every mood. Erwin had even agreed to leave you a drawer in his closet for your own products after you complained that you smelled like him every time. You had oils, masks, creams, everything you needed to walk out of that room as if nothing had happened. That was the goal, to let your sins go away with water using shower gels and body creams. When you would come out, no one could even guess that you had shot a bullet between a man's eyes a few hours before, and that thought made you smile.

The bathroom was now filled with hot steam and pleasant smells, and only the jet of the shower head echoed through the walls. No anguish, no regrets, no crying or screaming, just peace and yourself. Sometimes you wondered if you weren't crazy, acting like this, taking great care of yourself when you had taken a life earlier in the day. As if it didn't even affect you anymore. The truth was that after that night, you understood. You understood what Erwin meant when he kept telling you "It’s your life or theirs, Y/N." and you had chosen yours every time since then. And you were going to live it to the fullest. You slowly came out of the shower, a smile on your face as you wrapped your soaked hair in a clean towel.


	6. The dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alcohol, lounge music and a dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome, dear fellows!
> 
> Welcome to our weekly update. I haven't been able to post on time during these past weeks but I'm right back on track! :D
> 
> As usual, I wish you a lovely reading and I can't wait to have your feddbacks.
> 
> TW: This gets a bit steamy, so read at your own risks.
> 
> Until next time, xoxo

"What’s taking her so long?" Levi inquired, sipping on the strong alcohol. It had been almost an hour since you left them alone. The two men were comfortably settled in the luxurious living room when you had finally finished your little ritual. Just the way the two men stood could tell a lot about their different characters. Erwin was sitting in a padded armchair, one glass of wine in his hand, the other resting on the armrest, giving him a regal look. He was humming the opera aria that echoed softly throughout the room. His stature, his broad shoulders, his sharp jaw, all this gave him the air of the Greek statues in his living room. He looked serene, even in the most perilous situations. Your eyes turned to the other side of the room where Levi was sitting. He was a different story. Normally you could read people around you quite easily, but Levi remained a mystery. A very attractive mystery, but a mystery all the same. A cigarette in one hand, a glass of whiskey in the other, his arm leaning against the sofa. Your eyes went up from his hand to his neck, his tie loose, the sketch of his muscles under his shirt. He was a real sight for sore eyes. But as attractive as he was, you couldn't read him. Even though his facial features were almost devoid of emotion, you could still feel a pain that seemed deep. You had watched him during the dinner, you had noticed that sad look in his eyes when he thought no one was looking at him. He hadn't felt anything, or at least he didn't let it show, when he shot the waiter in the leg. No anger, no sadness, no fear, no regret, quite the contrary. You had seen him smile. What kind of psychopath did Erwin put in your way? You didn't know yet, but something about him attracted you and repelled you at the same time. You loved danger more than anything, and he seemed to be danger embodied.

"Perfection takes time, darling." Both men turned their head in the direction of your voice, finding you standing against the door frame. You winked at the raven-haired man, slowly walking towards the kitchen, passing through the cloud of smoke his cigarette was emitting. You wore an off-white silk robe, one that Erwin had offered you a gift after a tough mission. The same he has expressly asked you to wear with nothing under, which you had gladly indulged to, even if tonight, you had a guest. Who were you not to follow your boss’s orders ? You caught a glimpse of his smirk, because he knew oh-so well that you probably had nothing under, and he always loved a daring girl.

Erwin had prepared your cocktail, which was waiting for you on his kitchen counter. You took a sip of the fresh liquid, and you couldn't help smiling, for he knew how to prepare it perfectly. You turned to face them and hoped on the edge of the marble countertop. The two men looked at you but said nothing. You didn't say anything either, but all three of you could feel a certain tension gradually filling the room. "What did I miss?" You sipped innocently on your drink. "Nothing much, really. Levi is not a big talker, as you may have noticed." Erwin lightly chuckled at the annoyed look his smaller friend gave him. "Mmmh. You guys are boring." You muttered, getting off the counter top to walk towards the record player. Levi laughed at your comment. "What did you exactly expect to see, coming back after nearly an hour ?" Both men raised an eyebrow, turning to you and your wicked smirk gave them the answer. While Levi looked utterly shocked, Erwin only raised his perfectly trimmed eyebrow and gave you a knowing grin. You were looking for something more... interesting in the collection of vinyls. Erwin had all kinds of them, but he was a great lover of opera, which for the current situation, did not match in the least. The two men still didn't say anything, but you could feel their looks on your back. You finally managed to find an aria more suitable, more attractive, more sensual, more like you. The opera melody stopped, as if suspended in the air, and a few seconds later, the sweet sound of a guitar resounded, accompanied by a hint of saxophone and other instruments all together emitting an inebriating melody. "That’s more like it."

Satisfied with your choice, you took a sip of your drink and, as the music drew you, you began to move your hips from side to side, your eyes closed and a smile on your face. You were not ashamed at all, quite the contrary. You danced there, in the middle of the room, in front of an almost stranger you had met that very day, in front of your boss, and all in little clothes and with a glass of alcohol in your hand. Erwin laughed softly, used to your little fits of madness, and God only knows how much he loved them. After all, you all must have been a little crazy, doing the job you were doing. He needed little moments of relief like that to forget how many bodies and betrayals he was dragging behind him. You were like a flame, beautiful from afar, but ready to burn you up if you dared to get too close. Sometimes he wondered if he hadn't turned you into an insensitive monster, who could dance half-naked and tipsy just a few hours after killing a man in cold blood. He rejected this thought, because this madness was in you, he may have helped to bring it out, but you had this madness in your eyes, he had detected it from the first moment. All it took was his words to make you commit things that changed you forever. And watching you swinging your hips so sensually in front of him, he thought that maybe he had made the right choice, maybe it was your destiny, after all, madness suited you so well. He looked at Levi out of the corner of his eye, who despite his eternally selfless face, never took his eyes off you, an almost imperceptible smile on his lips.

You reopened your eyes to find that none of them had moved, eyes fixated on you. "Are you going to seat all night or are you going to have fun with me ?" You inquired, raising an eyebrow as a challenge. Just like most of the words that escaped your mouth, it could have a lot of different interpretations. Erwin finally put his glass aside on a small wooden table, and leaned on the armrests of his armchair to get up and join you in the middle of the room. More than happy that your knight in shining armor was willing to oblige you not to play alone, you reached out your hand to him almost theatrically, which he grabbed, and spun you around so that you came into his arms. Erwin did not dance in a literal sense, he just followed the movements of your hips by placing his hands on them and wandered along your body. You wagged your shoulders smoothly and when it was his turn to try, you burst out laughing at his failed attempt. This man was good at many things, but dancing, any kind of dancing, was not one of them. You even caught a chuckle on Levi’s side. "Low blow, Ackerman, to make fun of your boss. But can you do better ?" Erwin’s hands still around your waist and your hand resting on his neck, you challenged the smaller man. Always ready for a challenge, you saw a small spark in his eyes when you stated the challenge. He quickly raised his eyebrow mischievously, as if your words had amused him. He put his glass down very carefully, as if for fear of breaking it, which was in sharp contrast to his general attitude. With his cigarette in his hand, he laid his eyes on you as if you were a prey he was hunting before getting up from the couch. One could read on Erwin's face a mixture of fun and surprise, not expecting his usually quiet and lonesome friend to instantly accept your challenge. He unwrapped his arms from your hips to step back, himself being curious about the performance of the raven haired man. As the alcohol began to take effect, he could not help but laugh, waiting with anticipation. "Way better, some might say. No offence." He smirked, pulling his sleeves up. "None taken." The blond man sat back in his armchair.

Once his sleeves were rolled up and he finished his drink in one go, he stepped forward slowly, his cigarette at the corner of his lips, like a predator, and your whole body shuddered in a sense of danger and anticipation. When he got within a few inches of you, he gently lifted your chin with his thumb so that you looked at him.A shiver ran through your body as his hand gently touched the small of your back. His other hand took your free hand a little more firmly and without you realizing it, he spun you around and tilted you, then let go and landed you a little lower, your back resting gracefully against his half-bent knee. "You can actually dance, Ackerman." He slowly lifted you up and slipped his hand into the back of your neck to keep your eyes on him. A slight laugh escaped him when he saw the genuinely surprised look on your face. He followed it up smoothly with a few swift movements, and you had been going on like this for a minute or an hour, you couldn't tell.As if everything had disappeared around you except those two mighty gray orbs staring at you, which almost seemed to pierce your soul. The sensual music and the alcohol in your veins only amplified this feeling. Back to your mind as he gradually slowed down his movements, you removed the cigarette whose ashes threatened to fall from between his lips and as if it had become no longer a desire but a need, you placed your lips against his chastely, before devouring each other. His expert hands ravaged your skin at every moment, almost marking it with the pressure of his fingers, while yours seemed to be unable to detach yours from the back of his neck. Like a story repeating itself, you unraveled from his grip to find Erwin smiling at you, shaking his head slightly. "Feels like Deja-vu, right?" He chuckled. You pressed your lips together in a smile. "Mind if I join in ? You guys seem to have a lot of fun." He asked, a devious smile emerging from his lips. Without waiting for any sign of acceptance from Levi, you nodded eagerly. With your back against Levi's already heated body, you took Erwin's face in your hands before you let him taste your lips. Levi's hungry lips in your neck, Erwin's wandering hands on your body, you were as if in ecstasy. You were just indulging yourself, letting the two men take care of you, laughing softly when their hands inadvertently met and pulled them away almost as quickly. The music, the fumes of cigarettes, perfume and alcohol, the desire you felt became more and more deeply intoxicating. In a burst of possessiveness, Levi turned you face to face with him before taking your lips and biting them gently. "Getting jealous already?" You asked innocently when he let go of your bruised lips. "You can’t shut that pretty mouth, can you ?" Levi smirked and slowly got down on his knee. You felt Erwin’s hands tightening around yours to keep you still. "Well, I’m going to give you a reason to keep it open, since you like it so much."

His hands smoothly moved up along your thighs, pushing your robe back little by little. You knew exactly how far he would go, and the closer his hands climbed up between your legs, the faster your breathing accelerated. He slowly pulled the silk belt which tightened your waist, revealing your body to his eyes. You could feel his jerky and impatient breathing on your skin, it was as if it was burning you raw, but the sensation was almost exhilarating. You closed your eyes as you waited for his lips against your skin, but that moment never came. Instead, the two men turned their heads in the same direction, the direction of your bag, where your phone had been ringing for a while without you realizing it. The ringing stopped and you turned your head back to Levi. "Too bad I’m busy. It’ll have to wait tomorrow." You shuffled through the man’s hair. As soon as you finished your sentence, your phone started ringing again. A long sigh escaped your lips, Erwin let go of your wrists and Levi, as if cursed, went out of your way. You didn't even bother to close your bathrobe and picked up the phone. "I was fucking busy. What is it ?" You answered harshly. "Correction, you were busy fucking, which, to be honest, is gross. I’m guessing the midget hasn’t left?" You could hear Mikasa smirk from a mile away. "Get to the point." You knew she knew, she knew you knew. "You need to get your naughty ass to your quarters. We’re having a… situation ? A real chance you’re not far away." You smiled at the last sentence, but the fact that she would call you so late was no good news. "I’ll see you there." You were about to hang up when she spoke again. "Bring your two dates along, we might need them as well." This made you freeze right on spot.


	7. The shady recording

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A traitor, craziness and hidden guns in a broom cabinet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there, fellows!
> 
> How are you doing ? I hope you and your loved ones are safe and sound during this weird period. 
> 
> Welcome back to our weekly update! My story reached 1k hits, which I am so grateful for, so thank you so much guys.  
> As always, please hit that comment button for any feedback! I love to read them
> 
> Wish you all a lovely reading.  
> Until next time, xoxo

After Mikasa had simply hung up on you, you sighed, because you knew that she wouldn't have called you at that time knowing your plans if it wasn't important. The call had sobered you up in less time than it took you to say it and you turned to face your two suitors. "As much as I wanted to keep this little game going, my squad is waiting in my quarters." Erwin raised his eyebrow, finding his place back in the chair before taking a sip of the rest of the strong liquor he had left behind, as if to recover from the events that might have happened if you hadn't been disturbed. Levi, for his part, was already sitting on the couch, as if nothing had happened, he just loosened his tie a few inches. "What's the matter, now?" The frustration was palpable throughout the room. You were drinking the end of your cocktail, becoming almost irritated by the annoyed look and questions from the man with the raven black hair. "Hell if I know." You answered curtly. "But Mikasa wouldn't summon me and the two of you if it wasn't important." The two men turned their heads in your direction at the same time, which almost made you spit the liquid out of your mouth in amusement. "What?" You asked, pretending innocence. "Y/N, I don't think it would be appropriate if we came." Erwin sipped his drink, his eyes glued to your still naked body. "Appropriate? Come on, Erwin, don't be ridiculous." You looked at the blond man in disbelief. "We both know they probably know by now. As for you," Your gaze fell on Levi. "They might just think you're... Feisty?" Levi looked almost shocked when he heard what you said. "Anyway, she said you two might help, so you're coming." Two fingers pressed on his temple, Erwin looked resigned before nodding. "Man, she'll replace you in no time." Levi replied in a slightly mocking tone. Satisfied, you retired to the bathroom, where you had left your evening dress. You were desperate when you saw that your dress still had some slight stains of a faded red, as a reminder of your only meeting with the waiter. A long sigh escaped from your mouth as you passed in front of a mirror. Except for a miracle, your dress was ruined. The three of you left in silence.

You were about to insert your keys into the lock when the door of your flat opened wide. Jumping back a step, you rolled your eyes as Mikasa gave you a big knowing smile when she saw your two suitors behind you. "Boss, you got here fast." You could gut her right now. "Mr Smith, and Capo…" She squinted her eyes and pursed her lips when the name didn't come back to her. "Ackerman. You are?" The short-tempered girl raised an irritated eyebrow at the almost natural indifference he had on his face, not even waiting for her answer to come in. She widened her eyes in your direction, obviously pissed by the short man’s attitude, and you rolled your eyes up in the air. "Don't mind him, he's as charming and polite as a prison door." Erwin chuckled at your comment and greeted Mikasa with an almost sorry smile. Levi wandered in your living room, and you were almost certain you’d get one of his snarky comments, but it never came. All for the good, you wouldn’t want that when your whole squad could witness that. You excused yourself in your room to change into something more comfortable and less… well, less bloody. You prayed that leaving all of them alone wouldn’t lead to some private informations leaking on either part. When Levi settled on the couch, remaining silent, you took it as the signal everything should be fine. "Is there any chance you two are related ?" Erwin took off his jacket and put it on the couch, before stepping in the open kitchen. He greeted Eren and Armin as he passed by them. The two young men were sitting at the table, a table that was buried by files, half-filled coffee cups, high-end electronic equipment, probably belonging to Armin. They could hardly stop laughing since your arrival, due to the comfort Erwin had in navigating your flat. He seemed to know exactly where the stuff he was looking for was stored, proving without a doubt that he must have spent more time in your quarters than you had let them know. When he picked a bottle of wine from your fridge, no one seemed to really care nor say anything, he was your boss after all, he was the one paying for everything you had. Upon your return to the living room, you clicked your tongue when you saw Armin and Eren red as tomatoes, on the verge of bursting in laughter. "Why would I be related to her?" Levi asked, almost offended, without even looking at Mikasa, who was clenching her fists, hoping not to lose her temper and making him swallow his superior air with a punch. Erwin hummed. "Your last name, maybe?" Levi looked into the void for a second, before coming back to him. "We're not related, as far as I know." Mikasa shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, agreeing with Levi's words.

"Did we come to discuss the possible kinship of Levi and Mikasa?" You were getting impatient. The sooner this matter was settled, the sooner you could return to your previous occupation. "Ah yes, Boss. You should see this." Armin turned his computer screen in your direction and everyone approached it. "What are we supposed to see?"Levi asked, leaning on the edge of the table. "This is the service exit from the centre. The employees... Well, we're the only ones who have access to it." You frowned. The video hadn't started yet, but the knot that was gradually forming in your belly didn't mean anything good to you. "We and the other Capos." You quickly snatched the glass of wine that Erwin held between his fingers and took a sip. Erwin sighed smoothly, amused by your boldness more than irritated. He poured himself another glass immediately, before coming back to the group. "Go on, Arlelt, play the video." Armin nodded before pressing a key on his keyboard. The video came from a surveillance camera, there was no sound, but the face that appeared on the screen made you squeeze your fingers around the fragile glass. "Reiner, you little shit" was the only thing that was going through your mind at that moment, unfortunately for you, you didn't mean it out loud. The man on the video glanced at the security camera condescendingly, smiling smugly at it. Another man, smaller, plumper, walked up to your despised colleague. You recognised him in less than a second, as did Erwin, because he was your biggest - and most dangerous - target at the time: Dimo Reeves. He was at the head of a seemingly successful company, but if you scratch the surface, the man had many other strings to his bow. He dealt in guns, drugs, and a lot of other, darker things as well. You had lured him to your centre to find out more about his hidden little affairs so that you could stop him, because he was starting to seriously encroach on your mafia's business.

As the video progressed, your rage grew. Only a small number of people knew about this operation, and Reiner Braun, you made sure of that, was not one of them. So what was he doing in a staff-only area with a dangerous man who was considered a target, chatting and shaking hands with him? It was too much for you. You had always had doubts about his loyalty, but this was beyond comprehension. Even dressed very lightly - which your team and Erwin were used to - you took your coat and bag, checking that your weapon was still there. "Excuse me, I have to go make a scene." You walked furiously in direction of the door. Eren rolled his eyes at you and sighed. "Here we go again. Someone better follow her before she kills the poor man." At his words, Erwin and Levi eyed each other. "Y/L/N, for Heaven’s sake, wait for us !" The blond man ran after you, picking up his jacket in a hurry but Levi just stared blankly at the table, as if he was frozen.

Y/L/N. Y/N Y/L/N. "Capo ? You good ?" Armin inquired, seeing the man did not follow his taller friend. Shaken out of his thoughts, he raised his head before nodding to the younger man and silently making his way out. He walked slowly to the lift, pressing the button. He knew Reiner was a Capo just like you and him, so he’d have to live in the same building. His thoughts went fast back to the first time he saw you. He thought you looked familiar in some way, though he was sure he had never met you before. He couldn't shake the fact that your last name sounded like something in his memory. He entered the elevator and pressed all the buttons, he would find you anyway, the building not having an infinite number of floors. He was racking his brain to find out where or how your last name might have appeared. The familiar sound of the elevator took his mind off it and when the doors opened, he heard your muffled voice. In a burst of stress, he pulled out a pocket knife that he had always kept with him, just in case.He slowly got out of the elevator, without even making a sound. With a quick step, he approached the source of your noises when he found himself facing you and Erwin, his imposing hand firmly on your mouth, hence your muffled noises. You struggled slightly, but the tall man didn't seem to hurt you. Erwin looked slightly angry and you were clearly pissed. You looked at Levi with piercing eyes.

"What's going on here?" Erwin breathed in annoyingly before releasing the pressure he was putting on your face and your arm, which he was holding behind your back. "I'm trying as hard as I can to restrain Y/N from violently and indiscreetly barging into Reiner's apartment." He stretched his neck. "By pinning her against the wall, against her will from what I could see?" Erwin sighed harshly, becoming visibly offended by what Levi was implying. "You think you've got her figured out, but you don't know her like I do. She's crazy. And just when you think you've reached the bottom of her craziness, there's a crazy underground garage."

You took advantage of that moment when Erwin wasn't paying attention to you to pull out your gun and point it at his head. Feeling the cold metal against his temple, Erwin smiled, as if this gesture was so predictable on your part. He sighed again, this time more gently. "See?" He raised his eyebrow to Levi. "Come on Y/N, you know that could be taken as treason, right ?" He turned to face you but you didn't move your gun, so it was right in the middle of his forehead. "And you know damn right I would die for you if you asked me to. The only thing I'm asking you in return is to let me act as I see fit, even if in this case you think it's unreasonable." You looked right into his dashing blue eyes. "I know you would, but what seems to not get to that pretty head of yours is that you can’t always run right into danger." He merely said, looking totally unfazed by the fact he had a gun pointed directly at his head. You only sighed in response. "We don’t even know what all of this was about, we don’t know how dangerous it might be, plus, judging by how he knew there were cameras right where he was, he probably know you’d find out. Barging in his apartment and pull a gun to his head is not the right method to uncover whatever there is to uncover." You turned your head to Levi, sending him an annoyed look to which he replied by a snort. "So now you’re questioning my methods." You blankly said. "I’m not questioning it." You sighed in relief upon hearing the first part of his answer. "I’m saying it’s fucking stupid, Y/N." You furrowed your eyes and bit your lower lip when you decided enough was enough. "Y/N, hate to admit it but Erwin is right…" Levi didn’t have the time to finish his sentence when you pointed your gun at him. The look on his face changed right away, from slightly amused to clearly pissed off. "Tch. Brat, put the fucking gun down." He eyed you dangerously. "Oops, your time is up, darling. Now if you don’t mind, I’ll go find that piece of shit." You took a few steps backwards, gun still pointed on Levi. Erwin sighed, knowing damn right if he made any move you’d point your gun on him. Were you crazy enough to actually shoot one of them ? A tricky question. Erwin likedand wanted to think that you would never do it because, among other things, you would be considered a traitor, but mostly because of the affection you had for each other. As far as Levi was concerned, nothing was less certain. You had only known him since that very morning, he was almost certain that you kept your gun pointed at the raven-haired man because you knew Erwin himself was going to let you go, but on the other hand, Levi seemed irritated enough to try to stop you.

You stood back, facing the two men looking at you, one almost begging you to come to your senses, the other ready to pounce on you at the slightest wrong step. Your last glance was at Erwin, who, despite his angry look, seemed really worried. You nodded your head one last time in his direction, as if to reassure him, and then you disappeared into the corridor. Erwin sighed, massaging his temples, exhausted. "I swear to God I’ll kill her with my bare hands." He whispered before rolling his sleeves up and observed his surroundings. His eyes fell on what appeared to be a broom cabinet and he walked hastily towards it. "What are you doing ?" Levi looked disconcerted, while the blond man looked more and more on edge. "If she ever thought," He opened the cabinet with considerable strength, almost tearing the door open. "If she ever fucking thought that she can just order me around like a pup, I'm not above shooting her leg or arm just to prove a point." He gritted his teeth while furiously moving brooms and cleaning products aside. When he handed Levi a gun, the smaller man shook his head in astonishment. "What do you expect ? We’re in mafia’s quarters." Levi agreed, shrugging his shoulders. "Let’s find the bitch before she kills anyone - or gets killed." The raven-haired man chuckled at the crudeness of Erwin’s words. "From what I saw, she can manage herself pretty well." Once they were both armed, they started walking in the same direction you disappeared earlier. "She is a tough one, of course, but she’s not invincible despite what she may think." He breathed in and out quietly. "Reiner can definitely take her down, should he need to."


	8. The fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confrontation, threats and a revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening fellows!
> 
> Welcome back to our (late) weekly update ! :D
> 
> I hope you enjoyed last chapter, we're getting deeper into the story.  
> Smash that comment/kudos button to give me the ultimate strength :3 (I also love getting your feedback and opinions :) )
> 
> As always, I wish you a lovely reading.  
> Until next time, xoxo

You were hurrying to Reiner's apartment before Erwin or Levi had a chance to catch up. It wasn't very complicated since the floor had only four doors, two of which were apartments. Unfortunately for you, you knew more than well which one was the good one. You took your keys out of your bag, mentally thanking yourself for never returning the key he had given you. As you tiptoed in, all the lights were off, only muffled noises could be heard. Your eyes had become accustomed to the darkness, and you were observing the state of the room. You could deduce everything you needed to know just by its condition. Two empty wine glasses, then shot glasses, a half-full bottle of strong alcohol, farther away, garments scattered on the floor, probably hastily removed. Further still, other clothes that led straight to his bedroom. "Why am I not surprised ?" You whispered, before marching decisively and without bothering to be discreet in the direction the clothes were indicating. You loaded your weapon, ready to confront the traitor. It was as if your blood was boiling inside your veins. When you arrived at the door of his room, you could see light coming from below, and the muffled noises you heard as you entered were only louder. With a kick, the door opened and you discovered Reiner, in the middle of the fun with… "Annie ? What the- Ew." You were taken aback by the scene unfolding before your eyes. Never have you ever expected those two to be… that close ? The blonde girl shrieked a little at your sight, hiding her naked form under the sheets. "Come on, it’s just me! I should be the one screaming, though. That was unexpected." Reiner, on the other side, even though you could feel a hint of frustration on his face, seemed amused by the situation. "Y/N, always showing up at the best of times. To what do we owe this pleasure ?" You faked a smile to the man not even bothering to hide his private parts under your stare. "Oh, the usual, you know. You being the fattest piece of shit I know and just me putting you back in your place." You fidgeted your gun before looking at Annie. "Sorry to interrupt… Whatever you two were at, but I need to need to have a friendly chit chat with him in private, honey." You smiled at the resting bitch face Annie was giving you. "You seriously need to see someone about anger management." She simply got up, passing by you annoyingly. "I don’t need anger management, I need people to stop pissing me off." The blond girl just rolled her eyes before disappearing by the door frame, closing the door after her.

"What was so urgent that required you to break into my apartment in the middle of the night, preventing me from enjoying my favorite occupation? You're going to have to give me that key back, by the way. I knew you were going to need it at some point, but we could have just talked about it first, couldn't we?" He smirked and you picked up some piece of clothing on the floor for him to actually cover himself, since he didn’t get the hint. "First of all, fucking your soldiers ? Gross, but not surprising, coming from you." You sat on the only chair that was not buried under clothes, making sure to removing any dust before. "But anyway, we’re not here to discuss that. What the fuck is up with you and Reeves ?" You crossed your legs, impatiently waiting for an answer you knew was not going to please you. "This, my dear, is none of your business." He motioned to get up when you quickly acted, almost jumping on him. You pressed your hand on his bare chest and locked your legs around his, jerkily breathing due to the effort of just pushing him down but mostly due to your boiling anger. His back fell hard on his mattress, your gun under his chin. "Shameless, as always. Are you trying to turn me on? Because it’s working." You felt his member grow harder beneath you and you couldn’t believe he was actually having a boner right now. He heard the familiar click of your weapon but that didn’t refrain him to smile widely at you. "What are you up to ? You know I’m insane enough to actually shoot you, right ? You’d be the second to die tonight." He raised a knowing eyebrow and you understood right away he probably had something to do with your little encounter with the waiter. The more he seemed to make fun of you, the more pressure you put on his chest. "Listen here, because I’m only going to say this once. Anything you’re thinking about doing behind our back ? Fucking drop it." You felt his free hand grab your waist hungrily. "Do what, honey ? A chit chat doesn’t mean anything." You inhaled slowly to gather all the strength you could not to strangle him right on spot. You pressed your gun deeper into his throat. "If I found out whatever sick trick you’re planning, and trust me I will, I swear to God Reiner.." You leaned in closer to his face, wrapping your hand as strong as you could around his neck before tilting your head to whisper in his ear.

"Enough, Y/N." You instantly shut your eyes in annoyance and sighed. Before you could say anything, your gun was snitched out of your hand by Erwin. That's how you found yourself unarmed and straddling a naked man without being able to say a single word, because you knew that given the attitude you had towards Erwin a little earlier, which was simply to threaten him with your gun so that he would let you go, he wouldn't let you get a word in edgewise. You had reopened your eyes to see the satisfied smile on the man's face below you, and you snapped. In a swift and nimble movement, your fist landed on the cheek of the unfortunate man, from which a gurgle of pain was coming out. In anger, he grabbed your throat with his huge hand and squeezed it immediately. "You little…" Another familiar click made Reiner reconsider his decision to choke you till death. "Release." The raven-haired man only had to use a single word for the furious man to submit, not without a little frustration. "Y/N, out." You weren’t going to discuss his orders now that he was seemingly pissed. You slapped Reiner’s hand still lingering on your thigh before storming out of the room. Erwin motioned Levi to follow. "Is that how it’s going to be ? Bitch breaking into my apartment in the middle of the night, assaulting me with a gun and you saying nothing, Boss ?" Reiner jolted out of his bed to the nearest mirror to assess the damage done by your fist. "I assume you still have a glimpse of respect towards your superior to at least dress up before addressing any inquiries, right ?" Erwin looked at him clearly jaded. Reiner clenched his jaw and quickly put on his clothes. "Now, this… incident won’t evidently go without repercussions." Erwin caught a small smirk forming on the man’s face. "Regarding the recent events involving yourself and Dimo Reeves, you will remain innocent until proven guilty of anything." Reiner only sighed and briefly nodded in response. "However, be advised that your access to the center will be restricted for the time being." Even though Reiner didn't let anything show, his face remaining closed and emotionless, Erwin decided to remain on his guard.

You nearly kicked the door on your way out. Pressing the lift button over and over again, You were trying to regulate your breathing, to calm your shaky hands before the rage you were feeling got the better of your common sense. "You know that won’t make it come faster, right ?" You stretched your head in the direction of the voice, before staring at the metal doors of the elevator, looking up at the ceiling and taking a deep breath. "Not in the mood for shitty jokes, sorry." Your fingers stroked the weakened skin on your neck and by the slight pain it occasioned, you could already mean that Reiner had left his mark. Levi had approached you silently, leaning against the wall. "Don't expect some cheerful or meaningful shit on anger management from me, brat." You cracked a smile at the man next to you. "God please, don’t." The elevator opened its doors and you both let yourselves in. Your mouth opened, letting out a sigh of disgust as you looked in the mirror and saw the unmistakable bluish fingerprints all around your neck. You stretched your head from side to side to inspect the damage. "It really brings out your eyes." He scoffed. You didn't have time to answer him when the doors opened on your floor, and to your surprise, Erwin was waiting for you and you could feel the irritation emanating from his body. "Somebody's cranky." You whispered before you went out, passing Erwin by and ignoring him. "Somebody needs to shut the fuck up." The blond man replied with a look that spoke volumes. Your team had stayed to get an update of your outburst, but when they saw the expression on your face, then Erwin's, then Levi's, it didn't take them long to pack up their stuff and head for the exit. You grasped Mikasa's arm before she could get through the doorway. "Find out everything you can that connects Reiner and Reeves that can incriminate this piece of crap and quickly." Even though you were discreet, Erwin's watchful eye had noticed everything about your little exchange with the woman. She nodded, giving you a compassionate look and closed the door behind her.

You were breathing in slowly, at least happy to have effective soldiers. When you turned around, Erwin was already sitting at your table, one hand clenching his fist, his accusing gaze on you. You knew that you were on the road to a serious rearranging of your guts, and not the kind you preferred. "What on fucking Earth were you thinking about ?" His finger pinched the bridge of his nose. The man in front of you was on the verge of losing it. Knuckles going white from clenching his fists, you could feel that he was doing his best not to swing the table on the other side of your living room. "Listen, I might have gone a little overboard, but…" His hands slammed the table and you were sure that the whole building probably heard him. "Enough! For God's sake, Y/L/N, shut your mouth before I go a little overboard too." He shouted and your eyes widened in response to his anger, lowering your gaze to the floor almost instantly. The fact that he called you by your last name and not your first name said a lot about his mood. He sighed, stretching his head backwards, before giving your the coldest stare you’ve ever seen from him. "Have you no respect for me ? For my orders ?Did you so quickly forget who was there when your family disappeared? Have I ever judged you? Have I ever given you bad advice? Have I ever stopped you from doing what you wanted to do? Your experience in this world is insignificant, and mistaking yourself for God will only shorten your life. You’ve always been free to do what you want, to use your money as you wish, to fuck whoever you damn want, but for fuck's sake Y/N, when I give you an order, make sure you follow it, not because I have great affection towards you and your late family, but because I am your fucking superior! I've given you too many liberties, for too long, it's time for that to stop and for you to learn to stay in line and obey when you're given an order. Who the fuck do you think you are? Invincible, immortal? What would you have done if he was armed? Would you have shot, would you have killed him? But what if you hadn't found any evidence against him? Then you would have just been a traitor and then, even I could not do anything to save you. Your own stupidity will lead you to your downfall, do you understand that?" You just sat there, arms crossed around your chest, your eyes lingering on everything but the blond man. You tried to restrain your lips from trembling, biting the inside of your cheek enough to make it bleed. When you finally faced him, his expression had not change in the slightest. You mumbled some kind of apologies, in hope it could calm the storm in his mind. Seeing that he had simply sighed, shaken his head, before getting up and walking towards the door, it obviously didn’t. "I’ll keep your gun for now. No need to come up to the center, I’ll coordinate everything with Mikasa from now on. Get some rest in the meantime."

He didn't even take one look at you before he slipped out into the hallway. You took your face in the palms of your hands and rubbed your temples, before laying your eyes on Levi, who hadn't spoken a word since you returned to your quarters. He looked shaken,his eyes hanging in the void, which seemed odd to you given that Erwin had taken it out on you and that you didn't know each other well enough for him to feel any kind of empathy towards you, if he was able to feel any towards anyone. "Any cheerful or meaningful words, Ackerman ?" On the verge of crying, you tried to hide your watery eyes under your hand. He came back to his senses, glancing at your trembling silhouette. He stared at you with a sad, almost sorry look, for a reason that was completely unknown to you. Maybe he felt pity for you, as if you were just a spoiled child who had been caught red-handed and put back in her place, maybe he was just compassionate and understanding, you couldn't possibly know. Little did you know, it wasn't for any of these reasons that he looked at you so afflicted, but for a whole darker reason. "Good night, Y/N." You only nodded to acknowledge his departure. He stopped at your level, only to give you a quick glance before heading towards the exit. Once the sound of footsteps faded away, your tears began to run down your cheeks. Without even realizing it, Levi found himself in front of Erwin's quarters. Given the events of the evening, he was almost certain that he would be asleep, despite the late hour. He knocked several times before hearing footsteps approaching. "Y/N, you better be gone before I open the damn door." Levi didn't even have the heart to retort anything, too lost in his own thoughts. "It's Levi." He heard the door unlock before he set his eyes on a state he never thought he'd see on Erwin. The man was a mess. With his tie loose, his hair loose, one sleeve rolled up and the other unbuttoned, either he had company, which Levi highly doubted, or your attitude had got the very best of him. "Levi, sorry about that. I’m not in my best mood right now." However, despite his best intention to decline Levi's presence, Erwin did not expect such a reaction. In less than a second, he was shoved inside his own home, the raven-haired man slamming the door behind him. "You are a fucking wicked man, aren't you?" Levi was heading dangerously in his direction but Erwin kept his composure and stood his ground. "I knew you'd find out, eventually. I didn't think you'd connect the dots on the first day though." He sat quietly on his couch, almost unaware of the smaller man's wrath. "You fucking knew, right ? You knew it from the beginning and yet, you still let me join. Why ?" Erwin poured whiskey into two glasses and handed one to Levi. "Knew what ? That you are the man who murdered her entire family, and that she would have been killed too, had she been there that night? Yes, I know."


	9. The boredom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A toast, ultimate boredom and a dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good day, dear fellows!
> 
> I hope you're all doing great. Sun is back where I live, so I couldn't feel better.
> 
> Welcome to our weekly update! A little sooner, this week.  
> One of you reported that the writing style I usually use was a bit confusing/difficult to read through, so I changed it for this one, and will do so for the next chapter. If Life doesn't get in the way, I should be able to re-update older chapters too. Tell me what you think of it!  
> I hope you'll like this chapter, don't hesitate to comment for feedback and opinion, it really helps me to improve ! (also warms up my heart)
> 
> As always, I wish you a lovely reading.
> 
> Until next time, xoxo

Levi stood there, furious, while Erwin sat comfortably in an armchair, remaining indifferent to the smaller man's accusations. He took a sip of his drink and looked at Levi with a faint smile and then nodded slightly to signal him to sit down. Despite his anger, Levi sat in silence, accepting the glass that was handed to him. He raised his eyebrows and waited for an explanation. He knew fully well that he could not attack the underboss of the mafia without consequences. After all, why would he attack him when he had only known you since the morning? The past belonged to the past, and he was only carrying out orders, none of it was personal.

"As you guessed, I knew all along but still let you join. Why ? You are a skilled man, and I did not want to take the risk of one of our enemies approaching you before I could. For the greater good, if you prefer." Levi was speechless. Every time he had spoken with the man in front of him, it had seemed to him that he had great affection for you, so why hire the man who killed his parents?

"Now that you know my reasons, I'll ask you not to say a word of this to Y/N, she wouldn't understand." Levi hummed, his eyes glued to the void. He took a sip of his drink before looking at Erwin again.

"You're quite the calculating person." Levi's face remained impassive, expressionless. "Sometimes sacrifices have to be made. Y/N wouldn't understand, for the moment. One day she will realize, if she finds out, that I didn't do this against her or to rub salt in the wound, but for the good of the whole organization. Her emotions guide her, sometimes for the best, but most of the time for the worst. I can't imagine what would happen to the two of us if she finds out about this the wrong way, or from the wrong person."

Levi remembered how you had left the flat to go and threaten Reiner after seeing the surveillance camera recording, he realised that if you found out, it would not be to threaten him but to kill him that you would come to his quarters. Even though you were very strong, he surpassed you both in strength and experience but a hurt mind could do much more harm.

"I don't intend to tell her, if that's what you want. I just didn't think you'd be willing to do that, considering how much you care for her." Erwin's face tensed up for a second, Levi wouldn't have noticed if he wasn't staring at him.

"It's not about affection, Levi. Of course I care for her, of course it pained me when her parents died, first thing I wanted to do when I find you what to kill you. But after some observation, I decided to keep you by our side rather than kill you, because you are an asset to this organisation." A small laugh escaped from Levi's lips.

"What a friendship we have, don't we? You find out I killed your mentor, you want to kill me, you observe me, you change your mind, I accept your offer, life goes on, I find out about your little ploy and here we are, having a drink for the sake of a girl who doesn't even know that one of the men she might have slept with tonight killed her parents years ago." Erwin chuckled and shook his head lightly and agreed with Levi.

"Hm, when you put it that way, it makes me sound like a monster." They raised their glasses, as if caught in an infinite cruelty towards you, and clinked them.

"To Y/N?" Erwin asked his question, which wasn't really a question. "To Y/N." Levi nodded.

They chatted for a while more, about anything and everything, before the raven-haired man returned to his quarters. He entered the dark room, not bothering to turn on the light. He stumbled against some furniture, not yet accustomed to his own home. After finding the location of his sofa, he loosened his tie and slumped on it. Alcohol didn't really have an effect on him, even though he would sometimes have liked to lie down in bed, intoxicated by the drink, and fall asleep immediately.

He would have simply liked to be able to sleep, but unfortunately for him, insomnia seemed to be chasing him. He lit a cigarette, the orange tip glowing crisp, illuminating the room with a faint light. Tonight too, despite the physical and mental fatigue that overwhelmed him, he would not sleep for more than a few hours.

You had already been forced to stay in your quarters for almost two weeks now. You could go out, of course, but what was the point? You had gone through all the activities you could do. Impulsively buying designer clothes, bags, shoes at exorbitant prices? Already done that. Trying yoga to relax? You had ended up shredding the mat. Discreetly approach the centre and stay there all day to catch a glimpse of the comings and goings? Already done.

At that speed, you were going to go crazy in no time. Maybe you were already crazy after all. You hadn't heard from Erwin since that evening, and you didn't intend to give him any news either. Even if he hadn't been completely wrong, nothing forced him to sanction you to this extent. At this point he could even be dead, you would have no idea, so great was the lack of communication. You suspected that he had forbidden your own soldiers to give you details of the progress of the investigation into Reiner, and that made you furious, they were your soldiers, under your orders.

You knew that he had probably politely threatened to fire them or worse if they came to you regarding this matter. Yet you had asked Mikasa to look for all the evidence they could find, but there has been complete radio silence since that night.

The vibrations of your phone startled you, you were no longer used to it. In a burst of euphoria, you felt like social interaction, you almost jumped on the device, eagerly unlocking it to find a text message from Mikasa.

‘Still alive, Boss?’

‘Gradually losing it,but nevermind. How are you? Did Erwin threaten you?’

‘Not going to lie, he did. Sorry about that.’

‘Knew it. How’s the center going?’

‘Everything is fine, no news about Reiner, tho.’

‘Erwin must keep it hidden from you, I know the guy.’

‘How is he by the way? He’s been exceptionally good at ignoring me.’

‘Couple fight?’

‘Seriously?’

‘I don’t know, he seems fine. A little tensed, tho.’

‘Mmh. Anyway, if you’re free, please pass by, I’m going crazy here.’

‘Will do, I’ll call you. Good luck Boss.’

As short as it was, it still felt immensely good to finally talk with someone. You let out a relieved sigh, happy to finally see a familiar face after some days all alone. You were startled when your phone vibrated in the palm of your hand again. Silently, you prayed that Mikasa would not suddenly have to cancel her visit because you would go crazy without human contact. You frowned when you saw that the sender was a number that was not registered on your phone.

‘Hey craziness’

‘?’

‘Hey brat*’

‘Ackerman ? To what do I owe this pleasure?’

‘Just checking if you lost your mind yet’

‘On the verge to, if you want to report that to Erwin.’

‘Someone’s salty I see.’

‘I’m guessing you’d be too if you were forced home for weeks.’

‘Have you texted me to get on my nerves ? Because it’s working.’

‘Glad to see I, at least, have some kind of effect on you.’

‘I was about to ask you to have dinner with me but I might be reconsidering.’

‘I’m usually not that desperate but’

‘please don’t reconsider’

‘Oh, how the tables turn. Is that you begging me for dinner ?’

‘Yes’

‘If a word of this even comes out of your mouth, you’re dead and buried.’

‘I’ll cook. Just make sure your apartment is not filthy otherwise I’ll go back.’

‘How dare you?’

‘See you tonight craziness’

‘You better cook like a damn chef’

You received no answer, but you knew he probably tsk-ed when he got your text.

You were smiling as you thought about your dinner tonight. Apart from Armin and Eren who had come by once or twice to check that you were still alive, you hadn't seen many people. You had a good idea that Erwin was doing his best to keep them busy, so that they wouldn't be able to do the research you had asked them to do on Reiner, and come and see you to keep you informed. You hadn't seen Mikasa since that evening, she had written you a few messages from time to time, but you knew her, she wasn't the type to disobey in general, let alone the underboss.

You hadn't heard from Erwin either, not a message, not a call. You had bumped into him in your attempts to get out and keep yourself busy other than working. He was in the middle of a conversation with people you didn't recognize. You had seen him, he had seen you. And yet neither of you took a step towards the other. A small battle of glances began and if normally you would have done everything to make him the first to look away, this time you kept your face without expression, before looking ahead and going on your way.

He never let you out of his sight, watching your figure disappear into the distance. His gaze was lost in the horizon once you had completely disappeared from his sight. He lowered his eyes to the ground and bit the inside of his lip as if out of regret. A second later, he raised his head and put the undisturbed man's facade back on, continuing his conversation in a persistent joyful manner. The features of his face did not betray the sorrow he felt when he saw you, and even though his body was there, all his thoughts went to you.

Despite this, he had made no attempt to contact you, to explain himself, to apologise perhaps? He didn't even know who was wrong anymore. He knew that leaving you aside for so long, with no news, was the worst thing for you. You needed action, you needed to have a thrill. And yet, even though he held his phone firmly in his hand on many evenings, with your contact appearing on the screen, he couldn't bring himself to call you. Even though you had crossed the line, he had crossed it himself.

He was doing it all for you, and he knew you wouldn't take it that way. He wanted to keep you from giving in to that dark part of yourself, the part that even you didn't know about, but he had seen it, many times, in your eyes. That hatred, that fury in your gaze that took him by the guts.

Knocking on your door brought you out of your daydream. With a smile on your face, you quickly made your way to the door. You were amazed when the door opened on not one familiar face but three. Even though you didn't show anything, it meant a lot to you that they had all come, after so much time without seeing them, you had to admit that you had missed them.

You must have spent a good two hours talking to them about everything and nothing before Armin and Eren had to leave, leaving you alone with Mikasa, which wasn't bad at all. Girl-on-girl time wasn't much without a bottle of wine, so you headed to your fridge. After long minutes of hesitation, you finally made your choice and handed a glass to the raven-haired girl. A sigh of contentment escaped your lips as you sat down on the sofa, careful not to spill wine on it.

"Thanks for bringing them, too." You smiled genuinely. Mikasa rolled her eyes as if your sudden burst of emotion was embarrassing her.

"You should come and eat with us tonight. You're not completely home-bound, after all." She took a sip of the red liquid.

"Tonight won't do, but tomorrow should be fine." She frowned her eyebrows and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"Are you finally making peace?" She brought the glass close to her lips, but stopped just before, waiting for your response. She tilted her head as if to push you to answer.

"With who?" You answered in the most innocent way, knowing exactly who she was talking about. You were having such a good time, you didn't want to spoil it by talking about him.

"Blond, tall, broad shoulders… See where I'm going ?" She raised her eyebrows, slightly amused by your childishness.

"Haven't heard of him in ages." You promptly answered between two sips. Mikasa's eyes darkened a little when she realised that it was clearly not with Erwin that you were going to share a meal, as if she was disappointed.

"Here I thought that everything was going to go back to the way it used to be, but it's a shame. Anyway, who's the lucky guy, then?" She brought her legs to her chest and crossed her arms around it.

"Levi offered to come and cook." Mikasa's body tensed up very slightly. It was almost impossible to notice, but knowing her, you could immediately understand from her body language that she didn't appreciate your answer.

She only hummed in response, nodding slowly.

You quickly changed the subject, chatting a bit more before Mikasa had to leave as well. When she got up to get her things, her phone vibrated several times on your couch. Thinking it could be Armin or Eren, you looked at the contact displayed on the screen. You were speechless and broke out laughing when Mikasa snatched her phone out of your hands.

"Hiding things to me, now?" You giggled, seeing her cheeks go crimson red. "Jean, really ? I thought this was a one night thing! Or mistake, as you called it." You clapped your hands almost in euphoria.

"Have a lovely evening with your midget, Boss. We'll catch up later!" She flew by the door and you heard a few curses coming from the same direction. You laughed while shaking your head softly. She would never admit it, but Jean was a good person. Stupid and arrogant at times, but a good person all the same. At least he paid attention to her, not like Eren who didn't notice anything.

Without realising it, Mikasa had stayed much longer than you had expected, and you found yourself pressed by time. After tidying up your kitchen, you rushed to your bathroom to make yourself presentable. Just as you were applying the final touch to your makeup, there was a knock on your door.

Taking your time, you walked to the front door. You had already begged him to come, you weren't going to run to the door either. You laughed when you met the bored face of your date.

"Taking your time, I see." He didn't wait to enter your flat, a bag full of groceries in his hand. With a smile on your face, you closed the door and sighed, wondering if he was ever polite at times.

"Good evening to you too, Ackerman."


End file.
